Methane Exhaust Measurements at Gathering Compressor Stations in the United States

Vaughn, Timothy L.; Luck, Benjamin; Williams, Laurie; Marchese, Anthony J.; Zimmerle, Daniel

doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c05492

Methane Exhaust Measurements at Gathering Compressor Stations in the United States

Journal Article · Thu Jan 07 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c05492· OSTI ID:1760629

^[1]; Luck, Benjamin ^[2]; Williams, Laurie ^[3]; Marchese, Anthony J. ^[2]; ^[2]

Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); Colorado State University
Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO (United States)

Unburned methane entrained in exhaust from natural gas-fired compressor engines (“combustion slip”) can account for a substantial portion of station-level methane emissions. A novel in-stack, tracer gas method was coupled with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) species measurements to quantify combustion slip from natural gas compressor engines at 67 gathering and boosting stations owned or managed by nine “study partner” operators in 11 U.S. states. The mean methane emission rate from 63 four-stroke, lean-burn (4SLB) compressor engines was 5.62 kg/h (95% CI = 5.15–6.17 kg/h) and ranged from 0.3 to 12.6 kg/h. The mean methane emission rate from 39 fourstroke, rich-burn (4SRB) compressor engines was 0.40 kg/h (95% CI = 0.37– 0.42 kg/h) and ranged from 0.01 to 4.5 kg/h. Study results for 4SLB engines were lower than both the U.S. EPA compilation of air pollutant emission factors (AP-42) and Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (GHGI) by 8 and 9%, respectively. Study results for 4SRB engines were 43% of the AP-42 emission factor and 8% of the GHGI emission factor, the latter of which does not distinguish between engine types. Total annual combustion slip from the U.S. natural gas gathering and boosting sector was modeled using measured emission rates and compressor unit counts from the U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. Modeled results [328 Gg/y (95% CI = 235–436 Gg/y) of unburned methane] would account for 24% (95% CI = 17–31%) of the 1391 Gg of methane emissions for “Gathering and Boosting Stations”, or 6% of the net emissions for “Natural Gas Systems” (5598 Gg) as reported in the 2020 U.S. EPA GHGI. In conclusion, gathering and boosting combustion slip emissions reported in the 2020 GHGI (374 Gg) fall within the uncertainty of this model.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0029068; FE0029084

OSTI ID:: 1760629

Journal Information:: Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 55; ISSN 0013-936X

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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