Report: Low-Producing Wells Account for Half of Methane Pollution

/in , , , /by
A peer-reviewed study in Nature Communications provided the first nationwide look at how much methane low-producing wells are emitting. While these wells produce just 6% of U.S. oil and gas, they emit HALF of methane pollution from well sites nationwide. “Eighty percent of US oil and natural gas (O&G) production sites are low production well sites, with average site-level production ≤15 barrels of oil equivalent per day and producing only 6% of the nation’s O&G output in 2019,” said an abstract of the report.   Read full piece here
Here is another article in Reuters new service
Characteristics of US low production oil and gas well sites.
figure 1
a Spatial distribution of active onshore low production well sites (n = 565,000) color-coded by site-level O&G production in barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) per site. The numbered boxes show a few of the major low production well site regions, including those for which site-level CH4 emissions data are available: (1)—Appalachian, (2)—Oklahoma/Kansas/Arkansas, (3)—Colorado/Utah/Wyoming, (4)—Permian Basin, and (5) Barnett Shale. b Distribution of the national number of well sites and O&G production, comparing low production sites with non-low production sites. c Box plots (centerline, median; box limits, upper and lower quartiles; whiskers, 1.5× interquartile range; points, outliers) showing the distribution of site-level O&G production in each of the five O&G production regions with large numbers of low production well sites shown on the map. The average gas-to-oil ratio (GOR, Mcf/barrel) is shown on the top x-axis. These five regions account for three-quarters (76%) and two-thirds (68%) of the total number and O&G production from all low production well sites, respectively. The horizontal lines within each box plot show the median production rate per site. On the right y-axis, the percentage of the total count of low production well sites and total O&G production from all low production well sites are shown in blue and red, respectively. d Cumulative distribution functions of site-level O&G production for all low production well sites (red line) and well sites in each of the regions shown on the map (blue line—Region 1, light green—Region 2, dark green—Region 3, orange—Region 4, purple—Region 5). e Cumulative distribution functions of low production well site age, representing the years in production as of December 31, 2019 and based on the reported first production date. Lines are color-coded as in d. Analysis based on data from Enverus Prism19 for 2019.

St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church Blesses New Solar Panels

/in , , , /by

St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church in Albuquerque observed Earth Day by inaugurating its new solar power system  The Rt. Rev. Michael Buerkel Hunn, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande., was on hand on April 24, 2022, to bless the 6.54solar array, consisting of 20 solar panels. The system had been operational for several months now, but had not yet been officially launched.

The project was first conceived 15 years ago during the tenure of The Rev. Canon Carole McGowan,  who formed the Canterbury Advocates for Sustainable Environment (CASE). The committee was comprised of the late Don Partridge, Edwina Beard, Ginger Lawrence, Susan White and Richard Steele. “About 15 years ago, Rev. McGowan led a series of classes about we could be better servants of creation,’ said Sally Barlow, a member of the current solar team at the church. “As a result, the CASE committee was formed.”

Patridge’s wife, Susan Patrick, brought a cake to celebrate the blessing of the solar panels.  In addition to Bishop Hunn, Rev. McGowan and current Rector Edward Curtis presided over the ceremony.

 

Luther House Students Host Earth Day Scavenger Hunt

/in , , , /by
On Wednesday, April 20 Lutheran Campus Ministries hosted an Earth Day Scavenger Hunt and Action for students from UNM and CNM. 16 people competed in 3 teams to find 5 scavenger locations on the main campus of UNM. Each location required an action from the team: recite a prayer for climate justice, call a Senator to demand climate justice action, commit to no longer using single-use plastics etc.
Teams reunited at Luther House, received prizes for participating, and discussed several ways to love Mother Earth better. Students were also invited to attend the film screening of “Youth vs. Gov” with First Congregational UCC and will return to Luther House on Wednesday, April 27 to join in the webinar discussion with IPL.
Location 1: Prayer: Duck Pond- Breath Prayer- “God of Creation, As we breathe the air that sustains, fill us with your love for Mother Earth. Breathe into us solidarity with the suffering caused by our irresponsibility. Move us into action to serve our Earth and build your sustainable kin_dom. Amen”
Location 2– Educate/Organize: Smith Plaza- Advertised the “Youth vs. Gov” film screening and film discussion.
Location 3- Action: Statues: “Flood the phones, not the planet. Call Senator Lujan and demand climate justice now!”
Location 4– Commit: Mother Earth Fountain- “Commit to love Mother Earth even more. No more single use plastics”
Location 5– Joy: Center of the Universe sculpture: “Don’t forget to make joy the center of it all” (Hop Scotch)
(Information courtesy of Rhonda Newby-Torres, a former NMEP-IPL board member and lay pastor at Luther House-Lutheran Campus Ministry at UNM and CNM)