Measurements of methane emissions from natural gas gathering facilities and processing plants: measurement methods

Roscioli, J. R.; Yacovitch, T. I.; Floerchinger, C.; Mitchell, A. L.; Tkacik, D. S.; Subramanian, R.; Martinez, D. M.; Vaughn, T. L.; Williams, L.; Zimmerle, D.; Robinson, A. L.; Herndon, S. C.; Marchese, A. J.

doi:10.5194/amt-8-2017-2015

Title: Measurements of methane emissions from natural gas gathering facilities and processing plants: measurement methods

Journal Article · Thu May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-2017-2015· OSTI ID:1455195

Roscioli, J. R. ^[1]; Yacovitch, T. I. ^[1]; Floerchinger, C. ^[1]; Mitchell, A. L. ^[2]; Tkacik, D. S. ^[2]; Subramanian, R. ^[2]; Martinez, D. M. ^[3]; Vaughn, T. L. ^[3]; Williams, L. ^[4]; Zimmerle, D. ^[3]; Robinson, A. L. ^[2]; Herndon, S. C. ^[1]; Marchese, A. J. ^[3]

Aerodyne Research Inc., Billerica, MA (United States)
Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO (United States)

Increased natural gas production in recent years has spurred intense interest in methane (CH₄) emissions associated with its production, gathering, processing, transmission, and distribution. Gathering and processing facilities (G&P facilities) are unique in that the wide range of gas sources (shale, coal-bed, tight gas, conventional, etc.) results in a wide range of gas compositions, which in turn requires an array of technologies to prepare the gas for pipeline transmission and distribution. We present an overview and detailed description of the measurement method and analysis approach used during a 20-week field campaign studying CH₄ emissions from the natural gas G&P facilities between October 2013 and April 2014. Dual-tracer flux measurements and on-site observations were used to address the magnitude and origins of CH₄ emissions from these facilities. The use of a second tracer as an internal standard revealed plume-specific uncertainties in the measured emission rates of 20–47%, depending upon plume classification. Furthermore, combining downwind methane, ethane (C₂H₆), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and tracer gas measurements with on-site tracer gas release allows for quantification of facility emissions and in some cases a more detailed picture of source locations.

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Research Organization:: Aerodyne Research Inc., Billerica, MA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0004578

OSTI ID:: 1455195

Journal Information:: Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (Online), Vol. 8, Issue 5; ISSN 1867-8548

Publisher:: European Geosciences UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 58 works

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Characterization of methane emissions from five cold heavy oil production with sands (CHOPS) facilities Roscioli, Joseph R.; Herndon, Scott C.; Yacovitch, Tara I. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, Vol. 68, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2018.1436096	journal	May 2018
A review of close-range and screening technologies for mitigating fugitive methane emissions in upstream oil and gas Fox, Thomas A.; Barchyn, Thomas E.; Risk, David Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 14, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab0cc3	journal	April 2019
Exploring the endocrine activity of air pollutants associated with unconventional oil and gas extraction Bolden, Ashley L.; Schultz, Kim; Pelch, Katherine E. Environmental Health, Vol. 17, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-018-0368-z	journal	March 2018
A Near-Field Gaussian Plume Inversion Flux Quantification Method, Applied to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Sampling Shah, Adil; Allen, Grant; Pitt, Joseph R. Atmosphere, Vol. 10, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10070396	journal	July 2019
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