We love the great outdoors, so it can be frustrating when it is put into jeopardy. Oil and gas, a staple since the dawn of the automotive industry, have become challenged with the promise of clean energy.
On TikTok, one farmer has sparked discussions after sharing a video of an abandoned oil well's impact on a giant field.
@interstate_day_dream Thanking orphan well for their quick response time🙄 #nothingtoseehere #oilfield #leakingwell #orphanwells #alberta #reclamation ♬ original sound - Kale
"This whole area is just leaking gas … all the alarms were going off the whole time. I think it is mainly methane … there's a house like a thousand feet from this, and no one seems to care," the original poster, Kale (@interstate_day_dream), says regarding the environmental hazard affecting their local area.
The leak is on a farm in the Canadian province of Alberta, and the OP revealed that Alberta Environmental Resources contacted the Orphan Well Association. A sign was placed on the land, but no further action was taken to solve the issue, showing a disappointing lack of concern. The video then shows a patch of land bubbling with gas coming from the ground.
The land shown in the video has been occupied by the farmer since 2000, who noted that not much has changed and virtually nothing has grown in the area.
Orphan wells are old oil and gas wells that have been relieved of their operators and owners. These wells become hazardous, as they can leak harmful pollutants such as methane, significantly threatening both water sources and local biodiversity. Methane is also a potent planet-warming gas that contributes greatly to rising global temperatures.
In the United States, there are more than 130,000 orphaned wells, as the Bureau of Land Management reported. According to analysis from the Environmental Defense Fund, it is estimated that 14 million people in the country live within one mile of an orphan well, highlighting the widespread impact potential.
In Canada, where the TikTok video takes place, there are approximately 5,650 orphan wells and over 139,000 inactive wells, with Alberta holding the largest share of both — 4,700 orphan wells and 91,000 inactive wells, per the International Energy Agency.
As communities gather in the effort to make their air and water cleaner, learning about the effects of a warming planet and using your voice can make a significant difference when it comes to policies that benefit all.
"I thought we just paid another $20B to fix this," one TikToker commented in surprise at the inaction.
"Imagine if the fires hit that field," wrote another concerned user.
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