Many lifelong residents of Los Angeles have health impacts from growing up close to oil extraction. Now, the city is trying to close down the worst offenders, but it's an enormous task.
We have this problem in Oklahoma the difference here is they built whole suburbs on top of the abandoned wells then move families into them. Worse when they don’t know how many of these wells there are but the numbers are in the high 100,000s.
We have this problem in Oklahoma the difference here is they built whole suburbs on top of the abandoned wells then move families into them. Worse when they don’t know how many of these wells there are but the numbers are in the high 100,000s.
The article makes it sounds like that’s not an issue. The issue is living near an active well afaict
Unless the sealing of the well fails, which I’m sure it does sometimes?
I don’t think so. I think the release of toxic gasses is a byproduct of pumping.
I imagine natural releases are negligible
This seems to say that uncapped wells are a serious emissions issue
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/non-producing-oil-gas-wells-mcgill-1.7565725
If a capping failed for some reason, it would then be leaking?
Edit: And even if it’s just methane which is odorless and nothing else, that can’t be good to have coming up around everyone?
Edit: I read further and they can also leak hydrogen sulfide which causes issues, but at least it smells and indicates an issue.