Well Done Foundation Marks 130 Orphan Wells Plugged and Launches National Campaign With $7 Carbon Credits

Well Done Foundation has plugged 130 orphan oil and gas wells since 2020, starting with Anderson #7 in Montana. The nonprofit says the work has eliminated more than 5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions. It is now expanding to assess nearly 700 orphan wells across 54 national parks under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service. To mark the milestone, the group launched 'A Drop in the Bucket,' a public campaign for donations and awareness around the estimated 3.5 million orphan wells in the U.S. It also relaunched its Climate Benefit Unit carbon credit, verified through the American Carbon Registry, rated BB by BeZero Carbon, and priced at $7 per metric ton. That is below the $25 or more typical for similar credits, which may make it an option for buyers looking for verified methane abatement. Orphan wells leak methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than CO2 over 20 years, and can contaminate soil and groundwater. Plugging them is one of the few activities that cuts emissions and restores land at the same time. The story is relevant for anyone tracking carbon markets, methane policy, or federal and state well plugging programs.