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Leakage of fluids from oil and gas wells is a source of the key greenhouse gas methane, and presents environmental risks, including groundwater contamination. A loss of well integrity can result in fluid leakage into the annular space between subsequent well casings (which is often vented to the atmosphere) or into the surrounding subsurface. In Canada, industry reporting on well integrity is often incomplete, leading government inventories to disagree on emission magnitudes. In this study, we model wellbore methane emissions using industry data in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, finding that differing model assumptions to handle unclear/missing data have a strong influence on estimated emissions. Considering estimates derived from industry reporting and from independent measurement, wellbore emissions in the two provinces range anywhere from 23 to 176 kt of methane, representing 1.7-11.4% of their upstream sector methane emissions. Further, finding over 130 examples of measured leaks seemingly missing from industry reporting, we conclude that wellbore emissions, groundwater contamination, and broader environmental risks are underestimated. We provide recommendations to improve well integrity tracking through data quality assurance measures and increased testing. Finally, we find that ongoing optical gas imaging camera surveys could be an effective tool to augment wellbore testing requirements to minimize industry burden.
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Despite the growing unconventional natural gas production industry in northeastern British Columbia, Canada, few studies have explored the air quality implications on human health in nearby communities. Researchers who have worked with pregnant women in this area have found higher levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the indoor air of their homes associated with higher density and closer proximity to gas wells. To inform ongoing exposure assessments, this study develops land use regression (LUR) models to predict ambient air pollution at the homes of pregnant women by using natural gas production activities as predictor variables. Using the existing monitoring network, the models were developed for three temporal scales for 12 air pollutants. The models predicting monthly, bi-annual, and annual mean concentrations explained 23%-94%, 54%-94%, and 73%-91% of the variability in air pollutant concentrations, respectively. These models can be used to investigate associations between prenatal exposure to air pollutants associated with natural gas production and adverse health outcomes in northeastern British Columbia.
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Contaminantes Atmosféricos , Contaminación del Aire , Femenino , Humanos , Embarazo , Gas Natural , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Contaminación del Aire/análisis , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/análisis , Colombia BritánicaRESUMEN
Providing disability-based accommodations is a multifaceted process that must balance the needs of dental students and their institutions. Reasonable accommodations must not compromise patient safety or cause an undue burden on the student or institution. Therefore, more creative approaches must be considered as the number of individuals and the types of learning disabilities have increased in recent years. In the clinical setting, providing accommodations also requires detailed advanced planning and collaboration to maintain program quality. However, current technical standards (TS) may serve as a barrier to entry into the health professions for people with disabilities. These individuals remain substantially underrepresented in dentistry despite bringing unique perspectives and experiences that can contribute to a diverse workforce of culturally proficient practitioners. In response, many schools have adopted a "functional" approach to TS that emphasizes a student's abilities rather than their limitations. In addition, innovative assistive technologies coupled with the application of critical pedagogy and universal design learning practices that engage people with the widest possible range of capabilities allows equitable approaches for learning and assessment while maintaining professional standards.
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Competencia Clínica , Personas con Discapacidad , Humanos , Estudiantes , Facultades de Medicina , Educación en OdontologíaRESUMEN
Increasing seismic activity due to fluid injections for oil and gas production may be contributing to leakage along non-producing oil and gas wells and emitting methane, a potent greenhouse gas. However, the extent to which nearby seismicity may drive or exacerbate methane emissions and cause well integrity issues is unknown. Therefore, we analyze field evaluations at 448 non-producing oil and gas wells in Northeast British Columbia (NEBC) and geospatially analyze oil and gas well and fluid injection data alongside locations of 3515 earthquakes from 2001 to 2021 and 130 faults. Through analysis of ground and helicopter-based field evaluations of non-producing wells in NEBC, we show that methane emission rates of non-producing wells average at 8301 mg/h/well but vary by 10 orders of magnitude. We find that higher methane emission rates (milligrams of methane/h/well) are observed at wells with larger flowing pressures at the wellhead during completion (kPa) and with shorter distances (m) to earthquakes, particularly at plugged wells. These results imply that seismicity may increase the likelihood of non-producing well integrity issues and methane leakage, thereby also exacerbating groundwater contamination and environmental degradation risks.
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Gases de Efecto Invernadero , Agua Subterránea , Yacimiento de Petróleo y Gas , Colombia Británica , Metano/análisis , Pozos de Agua , Gas Natural/análisisRESUMEN
Abandoned oil and gas wells can act as leakage pathways for methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and other fluids to migrate through the subsurface and to the atmosphere. National estimates of methane emissions remain highly uncertain, and available measurements do not provide details on whether the emissions are associated with well integrity failure (indicating subsurface leaks) or aboveground well infrastructure leaks. Therefore, we directly measured methane emission rates from 238 unplugged and plugged abandoned wells across Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, separately quantified emissions from surface casing vents and other emissions from the wellhead (non-surface casing vent), and developed emission factors to estimate Canada-wide emissions from abandoned wells. Our highest measured emission rate (5.2 × 106 mg CH4/hr) from an unplugged gas well was two to three times higher than the largest previously published emission rate from an abandoned well. We estimated methane emissions from abandoned wells in Canada to be 85-93 kilotonnes of methane per year, of which surface casing vent emissions represented 75-82% (70 kilotonnes of methane per year). We found that subsurface leaks, as evidenced by surface casing vent flows, occurred at 32% of abandoned wells in Alberta, substantially higher than previously estimated using provincial data alone (6 and 11%). Therefore, well integrity failures and groundwater contamination are likely to be more common than previous studies suggest.
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Gases de Efecto Invernadero , Yacimiento de Petróleo y Gas , Alberta , Saskatchewan , Metano/análisis , Gases de Efecto Invernadero/análisis , Gas Natural/análisisRESUMEN
A comprehensive evaluation of physical activity (PA) engagement and policy implementation among Filipino children and adolescents with disabilities is vital in the promotion of an active healthy lifestyle. This is the first Para Report Card of the Philippines that presents the available evidence on the 10 commonly used PA indicators. Published and gray literature were searched for country-specific evidence on PA behaviors, physical fitness, and sources of influence. Stakeholders representing relevant national institutions, special education schools, and advocacy groups also provided input on the grades. Only Organized Sport and Government indicators had sufficient data to be graded F and B, respectively. The rest of the indicators were graded as incomplete due to the limited availability of nationally representative data. Findings of the Philippines 2022 Para Report Card on PA highlight the need to strengthen the documentation and evaluation of these indicators among Filipino children and adolescents with disabilities.
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Personas con Discapacidad , Promoción de la Salud , Humanos , Adolescente , Niño , Filipinas , Conducta Sedentaria , Planificación Ambiental , Ejercicio FísicoRESUMEN
This is an overview of the results from 14 countries or jurisdictions in a Global Matrix of Para Report Cards on physical activity (PA) of children and adolescents with disabilities. The methodology was based on the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance's Global Matrix 4.0. Data were aligned with 10 indicators (Overall PA, Organized Sport, Active Play, Active Transport, Physical Fitness, Sedentary Behavior, Family & Peers, Schools, Community & Environment, and Government) to produce Para Report Cards. Subsequently, there were 139 grades; 45% were incomplete, particularly for Active Play, Physical Fitness, and Family & Peers. Collectively, Overall PA was graded the lowest (F), with Schools and Government the highest (C). Disability-specific surveillance and research gaps in PA were apparent in 14 countries or jurisdictions around the world. More coverage of PA data in Para Report Cards is needed to serve as an advocacy tool to promote PA among children and adolescents with disabilities.
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Personas con Discapacidad , Promoción de la Salud , Niño , Humanos , Adolescente , Planificación Ambiental , Política de Salud , Juego e Implementos de Juego , Ejercicio FísicoRESUMEN
Rapidly reducing urban methane (CH4) emissions is a critical component of strategies aimed at limiting climate change. Individual source measurements provide the details necessary to develop actionable mitigation strategies and are highly complementary to mobile surveys and other top-down methods. Here, we perform 615 individual source measurements in Montréal, Canada, to quantify CH4 emissions from historic landfills, manholes, and fugitive emissions from natural gas (NG) distribution systems. We find that in 2020, historic landfills produced 901 (452 to 1541, 95% c.i.) tons of CH4, manholes emitted 786 (32 to 2602, 95% c.i.) tons of CH4, and NG distribution systems emitted 451 (176-843, 95% c.i.) tons of CH4, placing them all within the top four CH4 sources in Montréal. Methane emissions from both historic landfills and manholes are not accounted for in any greenhouse gas inventory. We find that geochemistry alone cannot positively identify source subcategories (e.g., type of manhole or NG infrastructure) in almost all cases, although C2/C1 ratios can distinguish NG distribution sources from biogenic sources (historic landfills and manholes). Using our individual source measurement data, we show that historic landfills have the greatest potential for CH4 reductions but the highest mitigation costs, unless we target the highest emitting landfills. In contrast, CH4 emissions from manholes can be reduced at low costs, but reduction methods are commercially unavailable. For NG distribution, methods such as increasing repair rates for high-emitting industrial meters can greatly reduce mitigation costs and emissions. Overall, our results highlight the role of individual source measurements in developing actionable CH4 mitigation strategies to meet municipal, regional, and national climate action plans.
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Contaminantes Atmosféricos , Gas Natural , Gas Natural/análisis , Metano/análisis , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/análisis , Instalaciones de Eliminación de Residuos , Cambio ClimáticoRESUMEN
Background/Objective: The 2022 Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents provides a comprehensive assessment of physical activity and other related behaviors, including the various factors and settings that influence these behaviors. It serves as an advocacy tool to increase awareness of the physical activity situation among children and young people in the country. This article describes the development and results of the first Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents. Methods: Following a systematic process provided by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance, a team consisting of 25 sports and physical activity specialists identified and reviewed the best available nationally representative data related to physical activity indicators. These data were then used to inform the grades of the ten (10) physical activity indicators. Results: Sufficient data were identified to assign grades to five (5) indicators: Overall Physical Activity (F), Active Transportation (D), Sedentary Behavior (B), School (C-), and Government (B). Insufficient data existed to assign grades to the remaining five (5) indicators: Organized Sport and Physical Activity, Active Play, Physical Fitness, Family and Peers, and Community and Environment. Conclusion: Despite government policies related to physical activity in the country, the majority of children and adolescents in the Philippines do not meet the recommended amount of physical activity for health. More work is needed to improve the translation of these policies into measurable programs, highlighting the need to create better physical activity opportunities and develop national surveillance mechanisms.
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Orphaned oil and gas wells are unplugged nonproducing wells with no solvent owner of record to plug and mitigate them, such that the responsibility often falls on government agencies and the general public. Unplugged wells pose risks to the environment, climate, and human health. To develop a national framework to quantify the environmental benefits of plugging and optimize mitigation, we analyze oil and gas well data from state agencies across the United States to estimate the number of documented orphaned wells over time and evaluate their attributes. We find at least 81,857 documented orphaned wells as of September 2021 and 123,318 as of April 2022, representing 2% and 3%, respectively, of all estimated abandoned wells in the United States. We identify at least 20,286 potentially documented orphaned wells as of September 2021 (0.5% of all estimated abandoned wells in the country), of which 8% became documented orphaned wells as of April 2022. We estimate annual methane emissions to average 0.016 ± 0.001 MMt of CH4 for the 123,318 documented orphaned wells as of April 2022, corresponding to 5-6% of the total methane emissions estimated by the U.S. EPA for all abandoned wells. Although well type (i.e., oil vs gas) is generally available (83% of the 81,857 documented orphaned wells as of September 2021), only 49% and 16% of the wells have information on depth and last production date, respectively. Overall, documented orphaned wells and their attributes, including location, well type, depth, and last production date, require additional characterization and studies to constrain the uncertainties. Nevertheless, our identification and analysis of documented orphaned wells represent the first steps toward characterizing the full set of wells eligible to be plugged and remediated with the federal funding available in the U.S. via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Our results can also be useful for the management of the hundreds of thousands, potentially a million, undocumented orphaned wells likely to exist across the nation.
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Yacimiento de Petróleo y Gas , Pozos de Agua , Clima , Humanos , Metano , Gas Natural , Incertidumbre , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
The inability to place a sufficient number of implants posteriorly may limit tooth and soft tissue replacement because of the cantilever effects that would result from the unsupported prosthesis. Fabrication of a fixed removable overdenture that is implant retained and supported by both implants and soft tissue allows adequate replacement of teeth and soft tissue for optimal mastication and esthetics. This case report describes a design for implant overdentures that conforms to fundamental removable prosthetic principles by using a rigid bar with bilateral locking passive attachments. The rigid implant overdenture provides extra retention via the locking attachments while maintaining stability with proper extensions and full soft tissue support posteriorly. This removable implant overdenture design is a suitable treatment option for patients who desire the sensation of a fixed prosthesis but are unable to receive fully implant-supported prostheses.
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Implantes Dentales , Arcada Edéntula , Prótesis Dental de Soporte Implantado , Retención de Dentadura , Prótesis de Recubrimiento , Humanos , MasticaciónRESUMEN
Abandoned, active, and marginally producing (producing <1700 m3/day of natural gas or <1.6 m3/day of oil) oil and gas (O&G) wells emit methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a highly toxic gas, but measurements to quantify these emission rates are limited or lacking. Here, we conduct 85 measurements of CH4 and H2S emission rates from 63 abandoned, active and marginally producing gas wells and a wetland area overlying a possible undocumented well in Ontario, the Canadian province with the longest history of O&G development. Our measurements show that abandoned wells emitting H2S are some of the highest CH4 emitters (average = 16600 mg CH4/h/well), followed by abandoned unplugged and marginally producing wells. Abandoned plugged (average = 2100 mg CH4/h/well) and producing (average = 6800 mg CH4/h/well) wells are the lowest CH4 emitters. Compared to inventory estimates, CH4 emissions from marginally producing and active wells in Ontario are underestimated by a factor of 2.1, and emissions from abandoned plugged wells are underestimated by a factor of 920. H2S emissions, currently not included in the Canadian Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory, average at 160 mg H2S/h/well. Our findings highlight the importance of conducting measurements from all types of oil and gas wells including H2S emitting wells to understand H2S and CH4 emissions and develop policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and protect human and ecosystem health.
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Contaminantes Atmosféricos , Sulfuro de Hidrógeno , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/análisis , Ecosistema , Humanos , Metano/análisis , Gas Natural/análisis , Yacimiento de Petróleo y Gas , OntarioRESUMEN
Abandoned oil and gas wells are one of the most uncertain sources of methane emissions into the atmosphere. To reduce these uncertainties and improve emission estimates, we geospatially and statistically analyze 598 direct methane emission measurements from abandoned oil and gas wells and aggregate well counts from regional databases for the United States (U.S.) and Canada. We estimate the number of abandoned wells to be at least 4,000,000 wells for the U.S. and at least 370,000 for Canada. Methane emission factors range from 1.8 × 10-3 g/h to 48 g/h per well depending on the plugging status, well type, and region, with the overall average at 6.0 g/h. We find that annual methane emissions from abandoned wells are underestimated by 150% in Canada and by 20% in the U.S. Even with the inclusion of two to three times more measurement data than used in current inventory estimates, we find that abandoned wells remain the most uncertain methane source in the U.S. and become the most uncertain source in Canada. Understanding methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells can provide critical insights into broader environmental impacts of abandoned wells, which are rapidly growing in number around the world.
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Contaminantes Atmosféricos , Yacimiento de Petróleo y Gas , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/análisis , Atmósfera , Canadá , Metano/análisis , Gas Natural/análisis , Estados Unidos , Pozos de AguaRESUMEN
The depth at which groundwaters transition from fresh to more saline-the "base of fresh water"-is frequently used to determine the stringency and types of measures put in place to manage groundwater and protect it from contamination. Therefore, it is important to understand salinity distributions and compare defined bases of fresh water with salinity distributions and groundwater well depths. Here we analyze two distinct datasets: 1) a large set of total dissolved solids concentration (TDS) measurements (n = 216,754) and 2) groundwater well locations and depths (n = 399,454) across California. We find that 19 to 56% of the groundwater TDS measurements made at depths deeper than defined bases of fresh water pump fresh groundwater (TDS < 2,000 mg/L). Because fresh groundwater is found at depths deeper than the base of fresh water, current policies informed by base of fresh water assessments may not be managing and protecting large volumes of deep fresh groundwater. Furthermore, we find that nearly 4% of existing groundwater wells penetrate defined bases of fresh water, and nearly 16% of wells overlie it by no more than 100 m, evidencing widespread encroachment on the base of fresh water by groundwater users. Consequently, our analysis suggests that groundwater sustainability in California may be poorly safeguarded in some places and that the base-of-fresh-water concept needs to be reconsidered as a means to define and manage groundwater.
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California hosts â¼124,000 abandoned and plugged (AP) oil and gas wells, â¼38,000 idle wells, and â¼63,000 active wells, whose methane (CH4) emissions remain largely unquantified at levels below â¼2 kg CH4 h-1. We sampled 121 wells using two methods: a rapid mobile plume integration method (detection â¼0.5 g CH4 h-1) and a more sensitive static flux chamber (detection â¼1 × 10-6 g CH4 h-1). We measured small but detectable methane emissions from 34 of 97 AP wells (mean emission: 0.286 g CH4 h-1). In contrast, we found emissions from 11 of 17 idle wells-which are not currently producing (mean: 35.4 g CH4 h-1)-4 of 6 active wells (mean: 189.7 g CH4 h-1), and one unplugged well-an open casing with no infrastructure present (10.9 g CH4 h-1). Our results support previous findings that emissions from plugged wells are low but are more substantial from idle wells. In addition, our smaller sample of active wells suggests that their reported emissions are consistent with previous studies and deserve further attention. Due to limited access, we could not measure wells in most major active oil and gas fields in California; therefore, we recommend additional data collection from all types of wells but especially active and idle wells.
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Contaminantes Atmosféricos , Yacimiento de Petróleo y Gas , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/análisis , California , Metano/análisis , Pozos de AguaRESUMEN
Recent studies have reported methane (CH4) emissions from abandoned and active oil and gas infrastructure across the United States, where measured emissions show regional variability. To investigate similar phenomena in West Virginia, we measure and characterize emissions from abandoned and active conventional oil and gas wells. In addition, we reconcile divergent regional CH4 emissions estimates by comparing our West Virginia emissions estimates with those from other states in the United States. We find the CH4 emission factors from 112 plugged and 147 unplugged wells in West Virginia are 0.1â¯gâ¯CH4â¯h-1 and 3.2â¯gâ¯CH4â¯h-1, respectively. The highest emitting unplugged abandoned wells in WV are those most recently abandoned, with the mean emission of wells abandoned between 1993 and 2015 of 16â¯gâ¯CH4â¯h-1 compared to the mean of those abandoned before 1993 of 3â¯×â¯10-3â¯gâ¯CH4â¯h-1. Using field observations at a historic mining area as a proxy for state-wide drilling activity in the late 19th/early 20th century, we estimate the number of abandoned wells in WV at between 60,000 and 760,000 wells. Methane emission factors from active conventional wells were estimated at 138â¯gâ¯CH4â¯h-1. We did not find an emission pattern relating to age of wells or operator for active wells, however, the CH4 emission factor for active conventional wells was 7.5 times larger than the emission factor used by the EPA for conventional oil and gas wells. Our results suggest that well emission factors for active and abandoned wells can vary within the same geologic formation and may be affected by differences in state regulations. Therefore, accounting for state-level variations is critical for accuracy in greenhouse gas emissions inventories, which are used to guide emissions reduction strategies.
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Recent measurements of methane emissions from abandoned oil/gas wells show that these wells can be a substantial source of methane to the atmosphere, particularly from a small proportion of high-emitting wells. However, identifying high emitters remains a challenge. We couple 163 well measurements of methane flow rates; ethane, propane, and n-butane concentrations; isotopes of methane; and noble gas concentrations from 88 wells in Pennsylvania with synthesized data from historical documents, field investigations, and state databases. Using our databases, we (i) improve estimates of the number of abandoned wells in Pennsylvania; (ii) characterize key attributes that accompany high emitters, including depth, type, plugging status, and coal area designation; and (iii) estimate attribute-specific and overall methane emissions from abandoned wells. High emitters are best predicted as unplugged gas wells and plugged/vented gas wells in coal areas and appear to be unrelated to the presence of underground natural gas storage areas or unconventional oil/gas production. Repeat measurements over 2 years show that flow rates of high emitters are sustained through time. Our attribute-based methane emission data and our comprehensive estimate of 470,000-750,000 abandoned wells in Pennsylvania result in estimated state-wide emissions of 0.04-0.07 Mt (1012 g) CH4 per year. This estimate represents 5-8% of annual anthropogenic methane emissions in Pennsylvania. Our methodology combining new field measurements with data mining of previously unavailable well attributes and numbers of wells can be used to improve methane emission estimates and prioritize cost-effective mitigation strategies for Pennsylvania and beyond.
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Deep groundwater aquifers are poorly characterized but could yield important sources of water in California and elsewhere. Deep aquifers have been developed for oil and gas extraction, and this activity has created both valuable data and risks to groundwater quality. Assessing groundwater quantity and quality requires baseline data and a monitoring framework for evaluating impacts. We analyze 938 chemical, geological, and depth data points from 360 oil/gas fields across eight counties in California and depth data from 34,392 oil and gas wells. By expanding previous groundwater volume estimates from depths of 305 m to 3,000 m in California's Central Valley, an important agricultural region with growing groundwater demands, fresh [<3,000 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS)] groundwater volume is almost tripled to 2,700 km(3), most of it found shallower than 1,000 m. The 3,000-m depth zone also provides 3,900 km(3) of fresh and saline water, not previously estimated, that can be categorized as underground sources of drinking water (USDWs; <10,000 ppm TDS). Up to 19% and 35% of oil/gas activities have occurred directly in freshwater zones and USDWs, respectively, in the eight counties. Deeper activities, such as wastewater injection, may also pose a potential threat to groundwater, especially USDWs. Our findings indicate that California's Central Valley alone has close to three times the volume of fresh groundwater and four times the volume of USDWs than previous estimates suggest. Therefore, efforts to monitor and protect deeper, saline groundwater resources are needed in California and beyond.
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Agua Subterránea/química , Salinidad , Contaminación del Agua , Abastecimiento de Agua , California , Yacimiento de Petróleo y Gas , Calidad del AguaRESUMEN
Purpose. The purpose of this retrospective case series is to evaluate the clinical advantages and limitations of monolithic zirconia restorations for full arch implant supported restorations and report the rate of complications up to 2 years after insertion. Materials and Methods. Fourteen patients received implant placement for monolithic zirconia full arch reconstructions. Four implants were placed in seven arches, eleven arches received six implants, two arches received seven implants, two arches received eight implants, and one arch received nine implants. Results. No implant failures or complications were reported for an implant survival rate of 100% with follow-up ranging from 3 to 24 months. Conclusions. Monolithic zirconia CAD-/CAM-milled framework restorations are a treatment option for full arch restorations over implants, showing a 96% success rate in the present study. Some of the benefits are accuracy, reduced veneering porcelain, and minimal occlusal adjustments. The outcome of the present study showed high success in function, aesthetics, phonetics, and high patient satisfaction.