• Search
  • Français
  • Subscribe
  • Our Work
    • Climate solutions

      Let's overcome the climate crisis and create a promising future for all.

      Learn More
    • Thriving nature

      Let’s respect, protect and restore nature so it can sustain all life.

      Learn More
    • Sustainable communities

      Let’s reimagine communities to build resilience and increase well-being.

      Learn More
    All projectsAn illustration of a compass
  • Experts
    • Founding family
      Learn More
    • Fellows
      Learn More
    • Science and policy
      Learn More
    • Communications and engagement
      Learn More
    • Media contacts
      Learn More
    ExpertsAn illustration of a compass
  • Take Action
    • Act online
      Learn More
    • Act locally
      Learn More
    • Act at home
      Learn More
    • Volunteer
      Learn More
    Take actionAn illustration of a compass
  • Stories
  • About
    • Our story
      Learn More
    • Staff and board
      Learn More
    • Financials and annual review
      Learn More
    • Contact and FAQs
      Learn More
    • Declaration of Interdependence
      Learn More
    AboutAn illustration of a compass
  • Donate
    • Become a fundraiser

      Raise money for the Foundation.

      Learn More
    • Donate stocks

      Give stocks or other publicly traded securities.

      Learn More
    • Leave a gift in your will

      Help restore and protect nature for generations to come.

      Learn More
    • Become a Monthly Donor

      Provide ongoing, reliable funds.

      Learn More
    • Make a one-time donation

      Protect the people and places you love.

      Learn More
    See more ways to giveAn illustration of a compass

What can we help you find?

Sorry, but your search returned no results. Try searching with different keywords.

January 2018
Back to search results
Report

Fugitives in Our Midst: Investigating Fugitive Emissions from Abandoned, Suspended and Active Oil and Gas Wells in the Montney Basin in Northeastern British Columbia

Published by: David Suzuki Foundation
Authored by: John Werring
ISBN: 978-1-988424-11-8

Climate solutions policy and regulation, British Columbia, fossil fuels, industry, energy, greenhouse gas emissions, methane pollution

6.1 MB

In summer 2015, a specially equipped team of intrepid investigators from the David Suzuki Foundation went into the oil and gas patch near Fort St. John, B.C. to explore how oil and gas companies operating in British Columbia were managing their operations in regard to controlling methane emissions.

Using a simplified screening program, we were able to identify significant emissions of fugitive methane.

We found that:

  • On average, around 35 per cent of all abandoned and inactive or suspended wells exhibit measurable and, in some cases, significant leakage of methane.
  • More than 85 per cent of all actively producing gas wells were found to be venting methane gas directly to the environment daily.

We used these data to calculate an approximation of the total amount of fugitive methane emissions associated with individual well sites in the Montney basin (excludes large methane emission sources such as processing plants, compressor stations, etc.).

We conservatively estimate fugitive methane emissions from oil and gas infrastructure in the Montney to be 98,190 tonnes. Much of this gas (85 per cent) is being deliberately vented directly into the atmosphere. It is not being captured or used in any way. This is much higher than the B.C. government estimates for the entire oil and gas industry (upstream, midstream and downstream): 78, 000 tonnes in total.

This strongly suggests that fugitive methane emissions from this industry are being heavily under-reported and/or estimated and there is a need for mechanisms to properly quantify the impact of this industry from a greenhouse gas emissions perspective and a means to control these emissions.

In this report, we include specific “asks” of government to better regulate this industry.

Fugitives in Our Midst: Investigating Fugitive Emissions from Abandoned, Suspended and Active Oil and Gas Wells in the Montney Basin in Northeastern British Columbia cover

Related resources

Climate solutions
February 2016

Investigation by the David Suzuki Foundation into Issues of Potential Environmental Concern Related to Oil and Gas Development in the Montney Shale Play in Northeastern British Columbia, August 14 – 28, 2015

John Werring

This report is a summary of our discoveries in a field investigation in the Montney basin in northeastern B.C.

Read More
Climate solutions
October 2017

Mobile Measurement of Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Developments in Northeastern British Columbia, Canada

John Werring, Emmaline Atherton, David Risk, Chelsea Fougère, Martin Lavoie, Alex Marshall, James P. Williams, Christina Minions

This groundbreaking research estimates that fugitive methane emissions from B.C. oil and natural gas operations — the majority of which use hydraulic fracturing (fracking) — are at least 2.5 times higher than reported by the B.C. government and may be much higher.

Read More

You can help

Protect the people and places you love. Donate today.

Yes — I want to donate today! 

Science and Learning Centre

View more
An illustration of a compass

Join our email community

  • Ways to give
  • Contact us
  • Media
  • Careers
  • Privacy

Canadian charitable number: BN 127756716RR0001
US charitable number: 94-3204049

The David Suzuki Foundation acknowledges Indigenous Peoples throughout Canada, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis — more than 900,000 people living in around 630 Indigenous communities and in cities and towns across these lands.

© 2025 David Suzuki Foundation. Website by Briteweb

© 2025 David Suzuki Foundation. Website by Briteweb

  • Our Work
    • Climate solutions
    • Thriving nature
    • Sustainable communities
    • All projects
  • Experts
    • Founding family
    • Fellows
    • Science and policy
    • Communications and engagement
    • Media contacts
    • Experts
  • Take Action
    • Act online
    • Act locally
    • Act at home
    • Volunteer
    • Take action
  • Stories
  • About
    • Our story
    • Staff and board
    • Financials and annual review
    • Contact and FAQs
    • Declaration of Interdependence
    • About
  • Donate
    • Become a fundraiser
    • Donate stocks
    • Leave a gift in your will
    • Become a Monthly Donor
    • Make a one-time donation
    • See more ways to give
  • Search
  • Français
  • Subscribe