Moss method revives Canadian oil well sites into carbon-storing peatlands

Moss method revives Canadian oil well sites into carbon-storing peatlands
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 01, 2025

In a breakthrough for ecological restoration, researchers have developed a scalable technique to transform former oil and gas exploration sites in western Canada back into carbon-rich peatlands. The approach, pioneered by scientists at the University of Waterloo, involves lowering the ground level of decommissioned well pads and transplanting native peat mosses to reestablish the pre-drilling landscape.

This marks the first full-scale application of the method on an entire well pad. The results demonstrate that sufficient water retention is achieved to support moss growth over large areas, a critical requirement for peatland regeneration.

Traditionally, reclamation efforts relied on planting trees or grasses to create forests or grasslands. In contrast, this approach restores the original peatland ecosystem, aiding carbon sequestration and providing habitat for local wildlife. The oil and gas industry, along with regulators, may now have a viable path to reduce the long-term environmental impacts of drilling on peat-rich landscapes.

"These results are the first to suggest that the re-establishment of peatland vegetation on full-scale lowered well pads is possible. through peatlands, which can negatively affect the ecosystem in surrounding areas," said Murdoch McKinnon, a PhD candidate in Waterloo's Faculty of Environment. "Well pads bury all of the native peatland vegetation under clay or sand, negatively impacting the ability of the peatland to sequester carbon and also reducing the availability of habitat for wildlife."

The team will continue to monitor these restored ecosystems to evaluate whether the transplanted mosses can persist and expand over decades. Meanwhile, the Centre for Boreal Research at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology is already implementing the study's recommendations across additional sites in northern Alberta.

"Preserving peatlands is critical because of the role they play storing and supplying water in the landscape," said Dr. Richard Petrone, professor in Waterloo's Department of Geography and Environmental Management. "They are also our best choice for nature-based climate change solutions because of the vast amounts of carbon that they store."

Future efforts will seek to enhance water movement from adjacent natural peatlands into the restored well pads to prevent moss drying and bolster regeneration success.

Research Report:Hydrologic assessment of mineral substrate suitability for true moss initiation in a boreal peatland undergoing restoration