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| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management |
| Top Organization | Department of Energy |
| Creation Legislation | Bipartisan Infrastructure Law |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | The Consortium Advancing Technology for Assessment of Lost Oil and Gas Wells identifies and characterizes undocumented orphaned wells to mitigate environmental risks. It aims to develop technologies to locate wells and curb methane emissions across the U.S. |
| Program Start | 2022 |
| Initial Funding | $30 million |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Consortium Advancing Technology for Assessment of Lost Oil and Gas Wells (CATALOG) is a Department of Energy initiative led by the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management that collaborates with five national laboratories across the United States to locate and assess over 310,000 to 800,000 undocumented orphaned wells (UOWs), engaging more than 2,800 stakeholders as of 2025. Launched in 2022 with a $30 million investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CATALOG—headquartered at Los Alamos National Laboratory—has developed AI-driven mapping and low-cost methane sensors, identifying wells with an average accuracy of 10 meters, with 2025 efforts post-Hurricane Helene enhancing resilience by prioritizing high-emission wells for plugging across federal, state, and tribal lands.
Goals
- Identify and characterize undocumented orphaned wells nationwide.[1]
- Develop technologies to locate wells and quantify methane emissions.
- Mitigate environmental risks from UOWs to support net-zero goals.
Organization
The Consortium Advancing Technology for Assessment of Lost Oil and Gas Wells was sponsored by the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) within the Department of Energy, headquartered at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Funding came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supporting five DOE labs—Los Alamos, Berkeley, Livermore, NETL, and Sandia—across multiple states, collaborating with over 2,800 partners including the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), tribes like the Osage Nation, and federal agencies, managed by Los Alamos and guided by FECM oversight.
The leader at the Department of Energy level was the Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, currently Brad Crabtree (as of February 22, 2025), with CATALOG led by a Los Alamos principal investigator.
History
The Consortium Advancing Technology for Assessment of Lost Oil and Gas Wells was established in 2022 under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed on November 15, 2021, launching with a kickoff workshop in April 2022. It progressed with AI mapping tools by 2024, identifying wells in counties like Osage, Oklahoma, and by 2025, has characterized over 1,300 potential UOWs, with post-Hurricane Helene efforts enhancing resilience through field-tested methane detection and well prioritization technologies.
Funding
Initial funding in 2022 was $30 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Funding continues within FECM’s $250 million FY 2025 budget, supporting over 50 projects with partner contributions, with no end date as appropriations sustain efforts like 2025’s $5 million for resilience-focused well assessments.
Implementation
The program was implemented through AI mapping, drone-based sensors, and field verification, targeting UOWs across federal, state, and tribal lands in all 50 states. It operates continuously with no end date, assessing over 310,000 potential wells, with 2025 efforts post-Helene scaling methane mitigation via collaborations with tribes and agencies.
Related
External links
- https://catalog.energy.gov/
- https://www.energy.gov/fecm/office-fossil-energy-and-carbon-management - FECM Overview
- https://www.doi.gov/ - Department of the Interior Overview
- wikipedia:United States Department of Energy
Social Media
References
- ↑ "CATALOG Program Overview," Consortium Advancing Technology for Assessment of Lost Oil & Gas Wells, https://catalog.energy.gov/, accessed February 22, 2025.