AI Finds 1,301 Undocumented Orphaned Oil Wells in CA and OK

[{"selector":"#anim-99184285-8f74-4ac7-82b5-e532da43948b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2860206a-a73c-4c8d-86a4-e872a87ad6fe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9a2c8b3-22bc-4241-87b7-ef47945cc35d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85632049-6ba8-4717-b10d-08bf8e28bbd7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-123.30098%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] AI Finds 1,301 Undocumented Orphaned Oil Wells in CA and OK Rahul Somvanshi

Abandoned oil wells across America leak methane gas 28 times more potent than CO2, threatening environmental safety for over 170 years.

[{"selector":"#anim-62aa70f4-cc4a-45a8-adfd-cb2b35fded8e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8fa241bb-896c-48d0-b6c4-84fbc8e165f3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4cc63829-17f6-45bd-9aa6-217051b4e4e4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e57a8126-927f-4155-8f79-279a5e5beeb2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46511f0d-2912-46d6-beed-de286e21534a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

Reports estimate 310,000 to 800,000 undocumented orphaned wells scattered across 3 million square miles of US territory.

[{"selector":"#anim-e903fc9e-2e2b-4d53-bc35-86b80f9d980c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09638d46-85dd-4e42-9f35-8e242d290d67","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 194.01709%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c4849cae-d7f6-441c-bba0-649b832cd548","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-78274f3a-67b7-486a-843e-beaad6102067","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63172d25-8093-4e35-92d9-52ed1a6e703d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

Berkeley Lab scientists deploy AI to scan 190,000 historical USGS maps, successfully spotting 1,301 potential hidden wells.

[{"selector":"#anim-10349818-c7ea-4518-85b3-aa6ea01f94df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-260eaf60-012c-4729-bf55-34fd74beea51","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2bb40061-b9c6-443c-9886-e4fe335d483a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c285f6b4-123c-42b7-9adc-fb739d6e0380","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6c5e220f-6b93-4ca0-a82d-daf224ce0132","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

AI system tracks distinct hollow black circles on maps between 1884-2006, filtering false matches like cul-de-sacs.

[{"selector":"#anim-462ef7b3-3ad9-46e8-8c9e-2480148d2864","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-440c6c4c-dd0b-4db7-af05-f311a6cd1ece","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 249.72502%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-344efcc7-5315-4886-b755-cb2fdfecdb4c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0670f3b7-a237-47ce-a88c-6f6d0393d828","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-95deecc4-71f0-4201-afeb-73f6dbe82bb1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

Researchers confirm well locations through satellite imagery analysis and magnetometer field surveys detecting buried metal casings.

[{"selector":"#anim-d870a434-1a7b-4c66-9fd0-c09c8ba886a1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b0c8fda4-97a5-4379-a332-248382f6a490","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bbe1f9f0-1f94-4e91-9360-810dcb83f2a1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cfd98216-1296-4128-8f9a-6e46b13f2238","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5dfb11c9-1f44-4282-8fdc-a0058d77204c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

Drones equipped with specialized sensors conduct aerial surveys using 9-foot cables to avoid electronic interference.

[{"selector":"#anim-25362a41-4e63-4aad-bc5c-9de3cec8477d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2760e7c1-8183-4567-aca3-701cabfcbd83","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 194.01709%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88046838-762c-49d9-b43b-a085df76e64f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5692bed-53d1-4f8e-b64b-7c20840953a1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-814d39c0-ebaf-449c-887a-65bd3bb8d33a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

Advanced detection methods include methane sensors and hyperspectral cameras capturing invisible methane plumes

[{"selector":"#anim-ee28d8c5-3166-4eb1-ba58-0d03105fc8d2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ac785b0-5535-4a04-9ad8-9403918b121b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ae2ec15-ab20-448c-9ff0-ba9eb06a038b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ee4186f-365f-44b3-8b0d-04d8534012c0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2fb6a10a-8e33-47e4-b5db-3f433c20c5bc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

Early wells received questionable plugs or were abandoned open, risking oil, gas, and chemical contamination.

[{"selector":"#anim-0c6df26f-3d04-49b4-a558-7ba2baa6675f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-57b8f608-2211-4e1b-9b5f-d0b11c4974fc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 194.01709%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f918b41-6950-405d-af12-64b4ddc2cdb4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f2bcf33-0cb5-4624-bbd8-f5e92964f635","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2fcc145e-1677-46e2-b28d-f56748272ef8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

Proper well plugging requires cement filling to prevent water source contamination and methane release.

[{"selector":"#anim-6db9c551-9f50-4388-99f1-bc3e4ed8c75f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-147a4b58-15fd-4740-82e5-48c38780afda","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e5556e0-87f2-4494-b9d2-af572596b274","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-70025b04-f6bb-42ef-a5cd-379c3efd8e50","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1942fe80-3084-4eba-b268-067eba4090a0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

CATALOG consortium partners with Native American tribes, Forest Service, and National Parks for widespread implementation.

[{"selector":"#anim-ed646a3c-a562-4f3e-a63a-7da7a97f16b4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b9c4dc8-a0bd-41b4-843c-ec6f0e1d6026","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 194.01709%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-decd968a-7de3-4ee5-8b53-b031cfd7af49","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-379b06ce-03d3-4a7e-b331-f43695c56839","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe4232bd-d988-434d-ad4c-691d58fc806c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder/Berkeley Lab

[{"selector":"#anim-a69c5ed8-72a1-4073-b118-e1d21d528d71","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f082a2e-50b8-4116-a9ba-a8639cf9b1f5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3dc4b90b-2219-4038-9c52-d424e4d07887","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3bd454ae-ceaf-4edd-acf4-fe2fee8ff4b4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-780b96dc-5569-4f86-bc4f-537f01f6f458","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] AI's 'Birmingham Blade' Turbine 7x Efficiency at Low Urban Wind Speeds Learn more