An Independent Signal of Quality

ClimateWells’ West Virginia methane and hydrogen sulfide well closure project has earned an A rating from BeZero Carbon.

An A rating reflects a high likelihood that each credit represents a real tonne of CO₂e avoided. In a voluntary carbon market increasingly focused on integrity, independent assessments like this provide an important signal of quality and durability.

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A Project Defined by Decades of Data

This project is grounded in extensive third party data and long standing industry practice. Independent reservoir engineers assessed the wells’ remaining life, which in many cases extended decades into the future. State level data further reinforced that marginal wells in West Virginia are rarely plugged while still producing and often remain active for years before closure.

Taken together, this evidence supported a clear baseline. Without carbon finance, these wells would have continued operating and emitting well into the future. That counterfactual formed a central pillar of BeZero’s assessment.

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Conservative by Design

Rather than crediting the full modeled lifetime of the wells, the project limits crediting to a defined near term window. Emissions estimates rely on third party reserve analysis and well established lifecycle emissions data, with layered deductions applied to address uncertainty and market leakage.

This structure intentionally prioritizes credibility over volume. By constraining assumptions and building in conservativeness, the project reduces the risk of over crediting and strengthens confidence in the climate outcomes the credits represent.

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Community Impacts That Last

While BeZero’s rating focuses on climate integrity, the project’s impacts in Wayne County extend well beyond emissions.

Ten wells were located within close proximity to homes and a local elementary school. Their closure removed long standing exposure risks associated with hydrogen sulfide and aging oil and gas infrastructure, risks that had been part of daily life for the surrounding community for decades.

The work relied heavily on local contractors and skilled labor, including plugging crews, safety professionals, and reclamation specialists. Project spending stayed largely within the region, supporting workers with deep experience in the local energy landscape.

Once plugged, the wells released long standing surface and subsurface constraints on the land. Families regained full use of their property, enabling residential construction, agriculture, and long term investment where activity had previously been limited. Sites were restored with native grasses and vegetation, improving soil stability, reducing erosion, and supporting habitat in an area shaped by generations of extraction.

These outcomes do not replace the need for rigorous carbon accounting. They show what responsible transition can look like when climate finance is paired with durable local value.

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A Blueprint for Scale

The BeZero A rating affirms more than a single project outcome. It validates an approach built on early action, conservative assumptions, and results that stand up to independent scrutiny.

As ClimateWells expands methane abatement efforts across additional regions, this project serves as a blueprint for scale, demonstrating how high integrity climate outcomes and meaningful community benefits can be delivered together.

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See the full BeZero rating for this project here.