Well Done Foundation Reduced Over 850,000 Metric Tons of Methane in 2023

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Jan 31, 2024, 08:57 ET

National Nonprofit Plugged 18 Wells Last Year Across Several States, Improving Air Quality and Reducing Methane Emissions

SHELBY, Mont., Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Well Done Foundation (WDF), a national nonprofit whose mission is to plug the 3.5M orphaned oil and gas wells across the United States, had a successful year in 2023 plugging a record number of wells across the country and creating a new job market for qualified measurement specialists.

Well Done Foundation Team Plugging an Orphan Well in Toole County, Montana.

Well Done Foundation Plugging an Orphan Well in Glacier County, Montana

Orphaned oil and gas wells are estimated to contribute 20-30% of methane leaks in the US, which affect drinking water, harm wildlife, ruin the land, and create flooding risks. Plugging orphaned wells has an immediate impact on the environment and provides instant relief to those affected.

In 2023, Well Done Foundation plugged 18 orphan wells across four states that were leaking harmful methane gas. As a result, 850,000 metric tons of methane emissions were eliminated from the environment, equivalent to taking 56,700 cars off the road. Two of the wells plugged were on resident property, such as a trailer park community and a senior living community where the unplugged well was affecting the drinking water. Residents reported an improvement in their air and water quality after the wells were plugged. Another well plugged was on indigenous land on Blackfeet Reservation in Montana.

"2023 was a record year for well plugging and our goal is to plug even more wells in 2024," said Curtis Shuck, Chairman of Well Done Foundation. "I began this mission after seeing the impact unplugged wells have on the environment and the community and knew that there was a better way to address the orphaned well problem."

Well Done Foundation adopted 11 new orphan wells last year across three states, all of which will be measured and plugged in 2024. They also launched a Qualified Measurement Specialist (QMS) program to train and hire specialists across the country to carefully measure and monitor wells before and after plugging. WDF successfully hired four new specialists that were trained, tested and certified.

In an effort to bring more awareness and advocate for more funding in plugging wells, WDF also traveled to Washington, DC, where they met with legislation on the importance of plugging orphan wells across the country.

To date, WDF has plugged over 40 orphaned wells in several states including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Louisiana, Montana and New Mexico.

To learn more about WDF's orphan well plugging mission or make a donation to support their efforts, please visit www.welldonefoundation.org.

About the Well Done Foundation
A nonprofit formed in 2019, the Well Done Foundation's mission is to fight climate change by plugging the estimated 3.5 million orphaned oil and gas wells in the United States. The WDF works with farmers and landowners, local and state government, corporations, and other nonprofits to locate the orphaned wells, measure and document methane and CO₂ emissions, plug the wells, and restore the surface areas to their original state.

Media Contact:
Alanna Anderson
[email protected]
281.770.9084

SOURCE Well Done Foundation