Well Plugging & Remediation
Legacy Wells Challenge
Walker Ranch had 33 legacy oil and gas wells drilled over decades. Many were abandoned, orphaned, or transferred between operators—creating environmental liabilities, methane emissions, and contamination risks.
Historical Production:
131,000 barrels of oil + 20 BCF of natural gas extracted. Production in terminal decline.
The Problem:
23 wells actively leaking methane. Groundwater contamination risk. Complex mineral ownership. Equipment still on site.
Comprehensive Remediation Initiative
Baseline Emissions Testing
EPA Method 21 & advanced TDLAS technology quantified methane leakage at each well. All 23 wells confirmed actively leaking methane.
Multi-Barrier Well Isolation
Gas-blocking cement formulations & pressure testing to exceed Texas Railroad Commission standards. Removal of surface casing.
Complete Equipment Removal
100% removal of tanks, pump jacks, gathering systems, and surface infrastructure from all 23 well locations.
Soil Remediation & Restoration
Contaminated soil hauled off. Sites graded with clean soil. Full groundwater protection measures implemented.
Permanence Monitoring & Verification
GPS tracking at each well. Three-stage emissions monitoring (baseline, post-plugging, one-year follow-up). Continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) pilot launching Q4 2025.
Carbon X Partnership
Unlike typical projects led by oil & gas operators, Walker Ranch remediation was driven by a private landowner committed to habitat restoration and community benefit. Carbon X provided climate financing and third-party verification to scale the initiative—transforming a liability into verified climate impact.
MT CO₂e Credits
~13,000 MT CO₂e average per well. Issued Q3 2025.
Wells Permanently Sealed
17 eligible for carbon credit issuance under BCarbon Methane Capture & Reclamation Protocol.
Climate Impact
Methane is 80+ times more potent than CO₂ over 20 years (IPCC AR6).
Carbon X Execution & Verification
Project Execution
- Emissions Detection: True Methane Technologies with EPA-approved TDLAS (RMLD-CS) by QMS
- Well Plugging: Orr Energy Services (15,000+ wells plugged nationally)
- Regulatory: Texas Railroad Commission oversight throughout
- Co-Funding: Carbon X + landowner investment in remediation
Verification & Impact
- ✓ Top-tier carbon protocols & third-party audit
- ✓ First large-scale multi-well carbon project in US
- ✓ Proof of concept for high-volume well aggregation
- ✓ Blueprint for market-driven methane abatement nationwide
Environmental & Community Co-Benefits
Environmental Impact
- ✓Eliminates groundwater contamination risk
- ✓Improves air quality for rural communities
- ✓Enables native grassland establishment
- ✓Supports wildlife habitat & biodiversity
- ✓Supports local job creation in remediation, burning, seeding
Strategic Significance
- ✓Demonstrates carbon credits mobilizing private capital
- ✓Unlocks public-private collaboration model
- ✓Incentivizes rapid methane abatement at scale
- ✓Sets precedent for measurable, verifiable remediation
- ✓Transforms environmental liability into lasting impact