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Monitoring and reducing methane emissions: Difference between revisions
Monitoring and reducing methane emissions (view source)
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== Measuring methane emissions == | == Measuring methane emissions == | ||
Natural gas makes up about a quarter of the energy used in the United States.<ref>Ritter, K., Shires, T.M., Lev-On, M. 2015. Methane Emissions From Natural-Gas Systems: A Comparative Assessment for Select Industry Segments. SPE Economics & Management '''7'''(01): 22 - 28. SPE-168379-PA. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/168379-PA. </ref> New production methods, including those related to hydraulic fracturing, are expanding access to natural gas and have increased natural gas based power, which is credited with decreasing greenhouse gas emissions in the country. Recent estimates for methane emissions from natural gas industries in the United States have been widely divergent. Some discrepancies noted by industry surveys have led to a thorough review of newly available information and are leading to the improvement of estimation methods and emission factors associated with activities that comprise natural-gas systems. This has manifested itself in the engineering estimations that are used for compiling the national GHG Emissions Inventory and in the methods used by companies for reporting under the mandatory national GHG Reporting Program. Both the inventory and the reporting program are programs of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). | Natural gas makes up about a quarter of the energy used in the United States.<ref name="r1">Ritter, K., Shires, T.M., Lev-On, M. 2015. Methane Emissions From Natural-Gas Systems: A Comparative Assessment for Select Industry Segments. SPE Economics & Management '''7'''(01): 22 - 28. SPE-168379-PA. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/168379-PA. </ref> New production methods, including those related to hydraulic fracturing, are expanding access to natural gas and have increased natural gas based power, which is credited with decreasing greenhouse gas emissions in the country. Recent estimates for methane emissions from natural gas industries in the United States have been widely divergent. Some discrepancies noted by industry surveys have led to a thorough review of newly available information and are leading to the improvement of estimation methods and emission factors associated with activities that comprise natural-gas systems. This has manifested itself in the engineering estimations that are used for compiling the national GHG Emissions Inventory and in the methods used by companies for reporting under the mandatory national GHG Reporting Program. Both the inventory and the reporting program are programs of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). | ||
EPA reports show that nearly 29% of all methane emissions in 2012 came from E&P activity<ref name="r2"> Rassenfoss, S. Pressure to Reduce Methane Emissions Highlights the Need for Better Monitoring. J Pet Tech '''67''' (3): 46-52. http://www.spe.org/jpt/article/8437-pressure-to-reduce-methane-emissions-highlights-the-need-for-better-monitoring/. </ref>. Natural gas is the largest methane source, followed by enteric fermentation--the digestive process of grazing animals that produces methane as a gassy byproduct--<span style="line-height: 20.8px;">at 25%</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;">. Grazing animals also produce manure, which is responsible for an added 9% of methane emitted.</span> | EPA reports show that nearly 29% of all methane emissions in 2012 came from E&P activity<ref name="r2"> Rassenfoss, S. Pressure to Reduce Methane Emissions Highlights the Need for Better Monitoring. J Pet Tech '''67''' (3): 46-52. http://www.spe.org/jpt/article/8437-pressure-to-reduce-methane-emissions-highlights-the-need-for-better-monitoring/. </ref>. Natural gas is the largest methane source, followed by enteric fermentation--the digestive process of grazing animals that produces methane as a gassy byproduct--<span style="line-height: 20.8px;">at 25%</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;">. Grazing animals also produce manure, which is responsible for an added 9% of methane emitted.</span> | ||
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With direct measurements of emissions from devices on 377 wells operated by 10 companies cooperating on the survey, Allen gathered data that changed the EPA’s pie chart of E&P emissions of methane. Allen concluded that emissions during flowback have sharply dropped from 26% to <span style="line-height: 20.8px;">1%</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> in the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory. The decline, in addition larger-than-expected emissions by gas-powered pneumatic control devices, pushed its share of natural gas emissions from the EPA estimate of 26% to a steep 42%, making it the largest single category.</span> | With direct measurements of emissions from devices on 377 wells operated by 10 companies cooperating on the survey, Allen gathered data that changed the EPA’s pie chart of E&P emissions of methane. Allen concluded that emissions during flowback have sharply dropped from 26% to <span style="line-height: 20.8px;">1%</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> in the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory. The decline, in addition larger-than-expected emissions by gas-powered pneumatic control devices, pushed its share of natural gas emissions from the EPA estimate of 26% to a steep 42%, making it the largest single category.</span> | ||
[[File:Wellsite emissions graph.jpg|frame|576x305px|Two 2015 studies of wellsite emissions showed a rapid drop in methane emissions from water flowing back after fracturing, increasing the relative importance of emissions by well equipment. (Rassenfoss)|link=http://petrowiki.org/File%3AWellsite_emissions_graph.jpg]] | [[File:Wellsite emissions graph.jpg|frame|576x305px|Two 2015 studies of wellsite emissions showed a rapid drop in methane emissions from water flowing back after fracturing, increasing the relative importance of emissions by well equipment. (Rassenfoss)<ref name="r2"> Rassenfoss, S. Pressure to Reduce Methane Emissions Highlights the Need for Better Monitoring. J Pet Tech '''67''' (3): 46-52. http://www.spe.org/jpt/article/8437-pressure-to-reduce-methane-emissions-highlights-the-need-for-better-monitoring/. </ref>|link=http://petrowiki.org/File%3AWellsite_emissions_graph.jpg]] | ||
== Reducing methane emissions == | == Reducing methane emissions == | ||
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== See also == | == See also == | ||
[[Air emissions]] | [[Air_emissions|Air emissions]] [[Environment|Environment]] [[Glossary:Methane]] | ||
[[Environment]] | |||
[[Glossary:Methane]] | |||
== Category == | == Category == | ||
[[Category:SB]] [[Category:JB]] [[Category:JB All Pages]] [[Category:JB InProgress]] [[Category:POST]] | [[Category:SB]] [[Category:JB]] [[Category:JB All Pages]] [[Category:JB InProgress]] [[Category:POST]] | ||