Aerial Surveys of Elevated Hydrocarbon Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Sites

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b00705
• Publication Date: 2016-04-05T16:47:06Z
• Authors: David R. Lyon; Ramón A. Alvarez; Daniel Zavala-Araiza; Adam R. Brandt; Robert B. Jackson; Steven P. Hamburg
• Keywords: Methane Emissions; Fugitive emissions

Oil and gas (O&G) well pads with high hydrocarbon emission rates may disproportionally contribute to total methane volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the production sector. In turn, these be missing most bottom-up inventories. We performed helicopter-based infrared camera surveys of more than 8000 O&G in seven U.S. basins assess prevalence distribution high-emitting sources (detection threshold ∼ 1-3 g s(-1)). The proportion sites such was 4% nationally but ranged 1% Powder River (Wyoming) 14% Bakken (North Dakota). Emissions were observed three times frequently at oil-producing regions mixed (p < 0.0001, χ(2) test). However, statistical models using basin pad characteristics explained or less variance patterns, indicating that stochastic processes dominate occurrence individual sites. Over 90% almost 500 detected tank vents hatches. Although partially attributable flash gas, frequencies exceed those expected if effectively captured controlled, demonstrating control systems commonly underperform. Tanks represent a key mitigation opportunity for reducing VOC emissions.