Open AccessMobile Laboratory Observations of Methane Emissions in the Barnett Shale Region
Author(s) -
Tara I. Yacovitch,
S. C. Herndon,
Gabrielle Pétron,
J. Kofler,
David Lyon,
M. S. Zahniser,
C. E. Kolb
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
environmental science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.851
H-Index - 397
eISSN - 1520-5851
pISSN - 0013-936X
DOI - 10.1021/es506352j
Subject(s) - methane , plume , environmental science , atmospheric methane , methane emissions , atmospheric sciences , dispersion (optics) , natural gas , oil shale , atmospheric dispersion modeling , range (aeronautics) , compressor station , geology , meteorology , environmental engineering , air pollution , chemistry , materials science , physics , paleontology , organic chemistry , pipeline transport , optics , composite material
Results of mobile ground-based atmospheric measurements conducted during the Barnett Shale Coordinated Campaign in spring and fall of 2013 are presented. Methane and ethane are continuously measured downwind of facilities such as natural gas processing plants, compressor stations, and production well pads. Gaussian dispersion simulations of these methane plumes, using an iterative forward plume dispersion algorithm, are used to estimate both the source location and the emission magnitude. The distribution of emitters is peaked in the 0-5 kg/h range, with a significant tail. The ethane/methane molar enhancement ratio for this same distribution is investigated, showing a peak at ∼1.5% and a broad distribution between ∼4% and ∼17%. The regional distributions of source emissions and ethane/methane enhancement ratios are examined: the largest methane emissions appear between Fort Worth and Dallas, while the highest ethane/methane enhancement ratios occur for plumes observed in the northwestern potion of the region. Individual facilities, focusing on large emitters, are further analyzed by constraining the source location.