Tradewater OOG 2

The Tradewater OOG 2 project plugs one orphaned, methane-emitting gas well in Greene County, Indiana. Orphaned wells have no responsible owner and fall to the state to manage — but without a plugging mandate or adequate funding, they can leak for decades. Up to 6.6 million metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent are released every year from orphaned and abandoned wells in the United States, with no active engagement to plug them or manage their methane release. The well in this project had been on Indiana's list of orphan sites for five years or more, and without intervention, it would continue sitting unplugged and emitting methane unmitigated.

Tradewater measured the well's methane emissions before sealing it permanently, in accordance with state regulations. A post-plugging confirmation sample was then taken to verify that the well has no remaining emissions. Over its 20-year crediting period, the project is expected to generate approximately 813,600 carbon credits. This figure is based on estimated baseline emissions of roughly 42,825 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year, after subtracting project emissions and applying a 5% uncertainty deduction.

Plugging the well also addresses risks that go beyond greenhouse gases. In addition to methane, orphaned wells can emit benzene — a known carcinogen — and hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas. This particular well was highly contaminated with hydrogen sulfide and posed a serious risk of injury or death to anyone exposed. The well's location adds further urgency. It sits on Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area, a public recreation site visited by about 12,000 people each year for wildlife observation, fishing, and hunting.

Tradewater, LLC is the project developer. In developing its Indiana orphaned well projects, the company visited nearly 100 orphaned oil and gas wells to understand their characteristics. Their work has focused on high-pressure gas wells that have sat on state orphaned well lists for decades, because they are more expensive and labor-intensive to plug. This focus means Tradewater targets wells that are less likely to be addressed through government programs alone.