A tiny patch of the southwestern U.S. produces the nation’s highest concentrations of methane, the potent greenhouse gas that President Barack Obama has vowed to tackle as part of his assault on climate-change pollution, Bloomberg said Oct. 9.
The hot spot near the intersection of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah accounts for almost 10% of all methane from natural gas in the U.S., researchers said in a paper published that day by the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The area, about half the size of Connecticut, is a major source of gas harvested from coal mines, according to a NASA statement announcing the study.
The gas measured in the study comes from leaks in processing equipment. Environmental groups have pushed Obama to regulate methane leaks as drilling using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has boomed. Eric Kort, the paper’s lead researcher, said it’s a mistake to focus only on fracking rather than existing industries.
The results indicate “that emissions from established fossil fuel harvesting are greater than inventoried,” Kort, an atmospheric researcher at the University of Michigan, said in the statement. “There’s been so much attention on high-volume hydraulic fracturing, but we need to consider the industry as a whole.”
Natural gas is about 98% methane, according to NASA, which assisted in the study. While less long-lived than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, methane is about 25x more potent in trapping heat.
The study, based on satellite data, found the 2,500-square mile (6,500-square kilometer) hot spot produced about 590,000 tonnes of methane annually from 2003 to 2009, according to the NASA statement. That is more than triple previous estimates of emissions from the area, highlighting the need for better monitoring, the researchers said.
Recommended Reading
Deep Well Services, CNX Launch JV AutoSep Technologies
2024-04-25 - AutoSep Technologies, a joint venture between Deep Well Services and CNX Resources, will provide automated conventional flowback operations to the oil and gas industry.
EQT Sees Clear Path to $5B in Potential Divestments
2024-04-24 - EQT Corp. executives said that an April deal with Equinor has been a catalyst for talks with potential buyers as the company looks to shed debt for its Equitrans Midstream acquisition.
Matador Hoards Dry Powder for Potential M&A, Adds Delaware Acreage
2024-04-24 - Delaware-focused E&P Matador Resources is growing oil production, expanding midstream capacity, keeping debt low and hunting for M&A opportunities.
TotalEnergies, Vanguard Renewables Form RNG JV in US
2024-04-24 - Total Energies and Vanguard Renewable’s equally owned joint venture initially aims to advance 10 RNG projects into construction during the next 12 months.
Ithaca Energy to Buy Eni's UK Assets in $938MM North Sea Deal
2024-04-23 - Eni, one of Italy's biggest energy companies, will transfer its U.K. business in exchange for 38.5% of Ithaca's share capital, while the existing Ithaca Energy shareholders will own the remaining 61.5% of the combined group.