Solution Developer

InnoTech Alberta

Project Description

Achieving well integrity is the key focus of well remediation activities when dealing with fugitive methane emissions. Approximately 40,000 wells in Alberta leak methane. As a result, approximately 1.2 million tonnes per year of CO2 equivalent emissions are released into the atmosphere due to leaky wells. 
This research project has the potential to drastically reduce natural gas leaks and emissions and accelerate the well closure and reclamation process. Shutting off leaky wells conserves natural gas for market sales, reduces environmental impacts on air and water, and decreases risk for stakeholders. The project will help accelerate and modernize the well closure and reclamation process because well leaks need to be fixed before subsurface closure activities, surface remediation and final landscape reclamation. 
Alternative products and technologies are being developed by several service providers to eliminate leakage and improve the plugging performance in the wellbore. Many products do not have the actual field performance data needed to satisfy expectations of operators or regulators. This project will focus on testing and assessing new technologies for field readiness in collaboration with these interest groups. After validation and field testing, these products will be one step closer to commercial use. 
The project takes cement alternatives from laboratory verification to multiple field trials for each technology. Success will result in the development of commercial alternatives to current cement applications, resulting in superior environmental performance and risk reduction.

Project Resources

https://innotechalberta.ca/