Oil production began in the US in 1859. Since then, an immense – but unknown – number of oil wells have been constructed and operated across the country. Many wells were not properly sealed when production ended. An “orphaned” well is one that no longer produces oil or gas and has no known owner or operator capable of properly plugging or closing the well and reclaiming the well site. 

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These “orphaned” oil and gas wells pose environmental and health risks. As wellbores corrode below ground, they can cause groundwater contamination, produce carcinogenic compounds, and leak gases including methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. 

To aid remediation efforts, we created the National Inventory of Unplugged Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells, which currently contains entries for over 100,000 wells in the U.S. Our research to understand the impact of legacy wells on water quality and methane emissions is also helping guide the prioritization of well remediations. 

We are developing new methods for identifying and assessing the environmental impacts of legacy wells using remote sensing, such as using airborne geophysical and hyperspectral data collected through the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). 

Our science is helping the Department of Interior Federal Orphaned Wells Program to assess, plug and restore orphaned well sites.

Each year, billions of gallons of saline water are pumped from deep underground to the surface during oil and gas production. These brines, known as “produced waters”, can be ten times saltier than seawater. They are also often contaminated with oils, greases and heavy metals. These produced waters must be pumped back into the ground and/or intensively treated, but can also contain lithium and other valuable materials. 

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We are working to estimate the amount of produced water that might be associated with future oil and gas development, as well as the amount of lithium and other materials that could potentially be recovered from these waters. We also provide important science about what kinds of contaminants produced waters contain, including radium and human-made chemicals like PFAS. Our research helps inform future resource development, including planning for how to store and treat, or recover minerals from, oil and gas produced waters. 

Brine waters from deep underground are pumped to the surface during geothermal energy production as well. We are investigating whether lithium and other valuable materials could also be recovered during geothermal energy production.

We study the relationship between geology and greenhouse gases, including the emissions related to extracting and using geologic resources, the use of greenhouse gases as a resource, and the sequestration of carbon dioxide beneath the ground.

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Greenhouse gases are released during the production and use of many geologic energy resources. Most notably, the combustion of coal, gas and oil releases carbon dioxide, which is a driving factor of anthropogenic climate change. Gases like methane and carbon dioxide are also sometimes trapped within the same geologic formations that contain coal, gas or oil, and are released when these products are extracted from the ground. 

Emissions and Sequestration

We are at the leading edge of science related to geologic carbon sequestration. We research potential mechanisms for carbon sequestration, including storing carbon dioxide belowground as a gas or liquid, or within rocks via mineralization.  We also estimate the potential capacity for geologic carbon dioxide storage, and potential implications of large-scale carbon sequestration such as induced seismicity. 

Our comprehensive national assessment of geologic carbon dioxide storage potential found that the U.S. has the capacity to store an estimated 2400-3700 metric gigatons of carbon dioxide through geologic carbon sequestration, with the highest sequestration potential in the Coastal Plains region. 

We also help quantify greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration potential on U.S. Federal Lands.

Greenhouse Gases as Resources

Our science on greenhouse gas emissions from coal, oil and gas sites, and on the capacity to store these gases below the Earth’s surface is helping to highlight pathways that could both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy production.

Some gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, can also be used as resources during energy production. Carbon dioxide can be used to increase oil and gas production from wells with dwindling yields. One emerging science topic is whether methane and other gases that exist in the waste stream of oil and gas production could be separated, stored below ground, and used to generate electricity at high-demand times. 

One major advancement has been our first national assessment of carbon-dioxide enhanced oil recovery. This kind of oil recovery involves injecting carbon dioxide into oil wells that have become less productive to make it easier for crude oil to flow into the well. The process leaves some carbon dioxide in the rock formation below the ground, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere.  

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We study coal wastes both as a hazard (to understand how they interact with the environment) and as a potential resource - especially as a potential source of critical minerals.

Energy production from coal produces waste when coal is extracted from the ground and processed, and when coal is combusted to produce energy. Coal wastes and byproducts can contain hazardous materials that can contaminate soil and water resources. Coal wastes also, however, can have beneficial secondary uses (for instance, coal ash can be used to improve the water quality of some abandoned mine sites) and could contain in-demand minerals like rare earth elements. 

We study the distribution and composition of coal waste and how coal wastes interact with natural processes, such as with soil and water processes. This research is essential for both prioritizing remediation efforts and for identifying coal wastes that can be utilized as a resource.