Louisiana faces challenges with carbon storage due to abandoned wells

A new report raises concerns about the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide underground in Louisiana, given the state's high number of abandoned oil and gas wells.

Nicholas Kusnetz reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

• Louisiana, leading in proposed carbon storage projects, grapples with the risk posed by 120,000 abandoned wells.
• Experts worry these wells could leak stored carbon dioxide, undermining efforts to combat climate change.
• The state's capability to oversee this complex issue is questioned, amidst fears of insufficient regulatory measures.

Key quote:

"It’s not a question of whether they’re going to leak. It’s a question of how much, how often, and whether it’s an acceptable level of leakage."

— Able Russ, director of the Center for Applied Environmental Science

Why this matters:

Despite its potential, carbon capture and storage faces challenges, including high costs, energy requirements for the capture and compression process, and the need for robust monitoring systems to ensure the CO2 remains securely stored.

In 2021, more than 500 environmental and community groups called on United States and Canadian leaders to abandon efforts to capture carbon emissions from fossil fuels and work harder to curb fossil fuel use in the first place.