Sylvera releases new framework for orphan oil and gas well carbon projects

Sylvera has introduced a new framework to evaluate carbon projects focused on plugging orphan oil and gas (OOG) wells, which are a significant source of methane emissions. The framework assesses projects across four pillars: Carbon Accounting, Additionality, Permanence, and Safeguarding & Co-benefits, using a methodology-agnostic approach. OOG well-plugging projects aim to permanently seal abandoned wells that lack a solvent owner, stopping ongoing methane emissions. The voluntary carbon market has issued over 8.3 million credits from 80 registered OOG projects as of early 2026, with plugging costs ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars per well. This framework addresses market complexities such as variable methane emissions, differing crediting methodologies, and questions surrounding plug permanence.