Across the U.S., more than 3 million oil and gas wells lie idle or abandoned.
Tens of thousands are believed to be leaking methane — an invisible gas 84× more potent than CO₂ over 20 years.
What’s striking is how close this problem is to home.
In Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Houston, old wells sit beneath neighborhoods, schools, and parks — relics of early oil fields that cities literally grew over.
Methane leaks from these sites drive short-term warming and pose local health and safety risks. Yet mapping and monitoring remain inconsistent. Many cities don’t even know where their wells are — let alone which ones are leaking.
There are proven fixes — from infrared and drone-based leak detection to plugging programs funded by the U.S. Infrastructure Act. But progress is uneven, and oversight is fragmented.
A pump-jack operates in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant in Signal Hill, California – Google images
Millions of idle and abandoned oil wells across the U.S. are quietly leaking methane — many hidden beneath cities.
byu/KajEmbrenOfficial inenergy
by KajEmbrenOfficial
1 comment
The earth is leaking methane everywhere
Ever heard of volcanoes?
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