Abandoned coal borehole leaks methane equivalent to 10,000 cars

A single abandoned coal exploration borehole in rural Queensland, Australia, has been identified as a significant methane “super-emitter,” releasing approximately 235 tonnes of methane annually—equivalent to the climate impact of 10,000 new cars each driving 12,000 kilometers per year. Researchers from the University of Queensland used advanced Quantum Gas LiDAR technology to conduct the first long-term methane emission measurements from such a borehole, which is about 100 meters deep and located in the Surat Basin. The borehole, drilled around twenty years ago and covered by dirt, was detected partly due to the absence of grass growth around it, indicating leakage. This discovery raises concerns that thousands of similar abandoned boreholes across Queensland—estimated at around 130,000—may also be leaking methane, though the extent and sealing quality of these holes remain largely unknown. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a warming effect approximately 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide over 20 years, making these emissions a significant but