Sunday, February 1, 2015

PENN STATE RESEARCHERS ESTIMATE THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 200,000 ABANDONED OIL AND GAS WELLS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND THE UNIVERSITY IS ASKING LOCAL RESIDENTS FOR HELP FINDING THEM




 

PENN STATE RESEARCHERS ESTIMATE THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 200,000 ABANDONED OIL AND GAS WELLS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND THE UNIVERSITY IS ASKING LOCAL RESIDENTS FOR HELP FINDING THEM



January 30, 2015
 
Penn State researchers estimate there are approximately 200,000 abandoned oil and gas wells throughout the state, and the university is asking local residents for help finding them.

The school is seeking "citizen scientists" who can be taught to research and look for orphaned and abandoned wells, locate them and learn if they are releasing methane.

About 16 midstate residents are attending a lunch meeting at noon Saturday at the Nittany Lion Inn in State College to learn about the project.

Dozens more have expressed interest in helping find the wells, but can't attend the meeting Saturday, according to Terry Noll, project coordinator and research assistant at the university's Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research.
Penn State researchers will visit local communities in late February and early March, teaching citizen scientists how to do the work.

From April through August, the university will lead field trips to find the wells, Noll said.


Before 1956, oil and gas drillers didn't have to register their wells with the state.
Noll expects there are many abandoned wells in Titusville and Oil City, which were home to an oil rush in the late 1800s.

If you're interested in finding some of those wells, contact Noll at tmg3@psu.edu or 814-865-6598.