Assessment and risk analysis of casing and cement impairment in oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania, 2000-2012.

ABSTRACT: Casing and cement impairment in oil and gas wells can lead to methane migration into the atmosphere and/or into underground sources of drinking water. An analysis of 75,505 compliance reports for 41,381 conventional and unconventional oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania drilled from January 1, 2000-December 31, 2012, was performed with the objective of determining complete and accurate statistics of casing and cement impairment. Statewide data show a sixfold higher incidence of cement and/or casing issues for shale gas wells relative to conventional wells. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate risk of impairment based on existing data. The model identified both temporal and geographic differences in risk. For post-2009 drilled wells, risk of a cement/casing impairment is 1.

SUBMITTER: Ingraffea AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4121786 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature