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Title: Methane Exhaust Measurements at Gathering Compressor Stations in the United States

Abstract

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 emissionmore » 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.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
  2. Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
OSTI Identifier:
1760629
Grant/Contract Number:  
FE0029084; FE0029068
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Environmental Science and Technology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 55; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Redox reactions; Hydrocarbons; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Byproducts; Fuels

Citation Formats

Vaughn, Timothy L., Luck, Benjamin, Williams, Laurie, Marchese, Anthony J., and Zimmerle, Daniel. Methane Exhaust Measurements at Gathering Compressor Stations in the United States. United States: N. p., 2021. Web. doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c05492.
Vaughn, Timothy L., Luck, Benjamin, Williams, Laurie, Marchese, Anthony J., & Zimmerle, Daniel. Methane Exhaust Measurements at Gathering Compressor Stations in the United States. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c05492
Vaughn, Timothy L., Luck, Benjamin, Williams, Laurie, Marchese, Anthony J., and Zimmerle, Daniel. Thu . "Methane Exhaust Measurements at Gathering Compressor Stations in the United States". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c05492. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1760629.
@article{osti_1760629,
title = {Methane Exhaust Measurements at Gathering Compressor Stations in the United States},
author = {Vaughn, Timothy L. and Luck, Benjamin and Williams, Laurie and Marchese, Anthony J. and Zimmerle, Daniel},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.0c05492},
journal = {Environmental Science and Technology},
number = 2,
volume = 55,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 07 00:00:00 EST 2021},
month = {Thu Jan 07 00:00:00 EST 2021}
}

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