Louisiana Methane Abatement

This project plugs four orphaned oil wells located in Caddo Parish, Louisiana. The wells were emitting methane upon discovery, had no designated operator, and there was no regulatory requirement or other legal requirement for plugging them. Louisiana lacks the financial resources to properly address this problem, and there are no Louisiana laws or regulations that require the plugging of orphaned wells, making carbon finance the sole revenue stream enabling their closure. The plugging of the wells was overseen by state-approved contractors, and state regulators assigned field agents to monitor the plugging of the orphaned wells. The project provides permanent methane abatement as well as land restoration and native habitat recovery. By permanently sealing these wells, the project also improved local air quality and contributed to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.