Article
Engineering, Environmental
Timothy L. Vaughn, Benjamin Luck, Laurie Williams, Anthony J. Marchese, Daniel Zimmerle
Summary: A novel method was used to quantify combustion slip from natural gas compressor engines at gathering and boosting stations in the U.S. The study found that methane emission rates were lower for lean-burn engines and higher for rich-burn engines, compared to existing emission factors. Modelled results suggest that unburned methane accounts for a significant portion of methane emissions from the natural gas sector in the U.S.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiangang Xu, Xinyue Zhong, Jiankai Dong, Donglai Xie, Wanlu Lu
Summary: Methane is a significant greenhouse gas and its emissions from the natural gas sector are often underestimated. This study used a mass balance approach to quantify methane emissions during the installation of natural gas meters and found a fat tail distribution in the emissions. The total methane emissions in China were substantial, with the highest emissions concentrated in the southeast. This research fills a gap in measuring methane emissions across the natural gas chain in China and provides data to support reduction targets and technologies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maryann R. Sargent, Cody Floerchinger, Kathryn McKain, John Budney, Elaine W. Gottlieb, Lucy R. Hutyra, Joseph Rudek, Steven C. Wofsy
Summary: The top-down study on methane emissions from natural gas in the Boston urban region over 8 years showed no significant trend in the loss rate, with consumption-driven losses potentially accounting for missing emissions in inventories. Comparisons with estimates from six US cities suggest that distribution and end use losses from natural gas supply chain may contribute significantly to total emissions, indicating a need for future policy action.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniel Zimmerle, Gerald Duggan, Timothy Vaughn, Clay Bell, Christopher Lute, Kristine Bennett, Yosuke Kimura, Felipe J. Cardoso-Saldana, David T. Allen
Summary: This study introduces a new temporally and spatially resolved inventory emission model (MEET) and applies it to compressor station emissions to investigate the discrepancy between inventory emission estimates and actual measurements. The results suggest that current measurement methods may underestimate uncertainties in emission estimates, while the use of MEET can better capture the temporal and spatial variation in observed emissions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jasmin Cooper, Paul Balcombe, Adam Hawkes
Summary: Methane emissions from natural gas supply chains are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. This study estimates emissions variation and uncertainty, highlighting countries at risk of high emissions. The study also shows a high dependency on Tier 1 emission factors, indicating uncertainty and potential inaccuracies in emission accounting.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Sankalp Garg, Deniz Ege Boz, Ben Gilbert, Jim Crompton
Summary: Concerns about the climate and local air impacts of emissions from the oil and gas supply chain have led to a reevaluation of natural gas' role in a low carbon future. Some stakeholders have pushed for certifications to label gas as 'responsibly-sourced' or 'green', potentially creating a differentiated gas market. This paper critically reviews several prominent natural gas certification processes, focusing on recent advances in methane emissions and supply chain certification.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Deborah Gordon, Frances Reuland, Daniel J. Jacob, John R. Worden, Drew Shindell, Mark Dyson
Summary: The net climate impact of gas and coal life-cycle emissions is affected by methane leakage and SO2 emissions. Gas systems with methane leakage rates above 4.7% (20-year timeframe) or 7.6% (100-year timeframe) are comparable to coal emissions from methane leaking coal mines. The impact of coal on climate is also influenced by SO2 emissions, which react to form sulfate aerosols that mask warming. Methane and SO2 co-emissions with CO2 alter the emissions parity between gas and coal. Detection and management of methane emissions are necessary to ensure that gas assets are less emissions intensive than coal.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ana Maria Roxana Petrescu, Chunjing Qiu, Matthew J. McGrath, Philippe Peylin, Glen P. Peters, Philippe Ciais, Rona L. Thompson, Aki Tsuruta, Dominik Brunner, Matthias Kuhnert, Bradley Matthews, Paul I. Palmer, Oksana Tarasova, Pierre Regnier, Ronny Lauerwald, David Bastviken, Lena Hoeglund-Isaksson, Wilfried Winiwarter, Giuseppe Etiope, Tuula Aalto, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Vladislav Bastrikov, Antoine Berchet, Patrick Brockmann, Giancarlo Ciotoli, Giulia Conchedda, Monica Crippa, Frank Dentener, Christine D. Groot Zwaaftink, Diego Guizzardi, Dirk Guenther, Jean-Matthieu Haussaire, Sander Houweling, Greet Janssens-Maenhout, Massaer Kouyate, Adrian Leip, Antti Leppanen, Emanuele Lugato, Manon Maisonnier, Alistair J. Manning, Tiina Markkanen, Joe McNorton, Marilena Muntean, Gabriel D. Oreggioni, Prabir K. Patra, Lucia Perugini, Isabelle Pison, Maarit T. Raivonen, Marielle Saunois, Arjo J. Segers, Pete Smith, Efisio Solazzo, Hanqin Tian, Francesco N. Tubiello, Timo Vesala, Guido R. van der Werf, Chris Wilson, Soenke Zaehle
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive synthesis of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in the European Union and UK using various methods. It compares the results with national greenhouse gas inventories reported by parties and identifies differences in estimates due to the inclusion of natural and anthropogenic fluxes. It highlights the importance of spatial distribution and attribution of emissions in monitoring and mitigating anthropogenic emissions under the Paris Agreement. Rating: 8 out of 10.
EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE DATA
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Junlian Gao, ChengHe Guan, Bo Zhang
Summary: There is a growing concern over methane emissions from China's oil and natural gas systems due to the carbon neutral target. Studies show that the average methane emissions have tripled from 1980 to 2015, but there are large discrepancies in estimated values, mainly due to differences in emission factors and limited publicly available data. Collaboration and communication are critical for improving methane emission estimates and mitigation strategies in the future.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jevan Yu, Benjamin Hmiel, David R. Lyon, Jack Warren, Daniel H. Cusworth, Riley M. Duren, Yuanlei Chen, Erin C. Murphy, Adam R. Brandt
Summary: This study estimates the methane emission factor for gathering lines in the Permian Basin using aerial data collection, and finds that pipeline emissions are underestimated in current inventories. Aerial data collection allows for a greater sample size and more comprehensive identification of emission sources.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stefan Ladage, Martin Blumenberg, Dieter Franke, Andreas Bahr, Ruediger Lutz, Sandro Schmidt
Summary: Methane emissions along the natural gas supply chain play a critical role in the climate benefits of switching from coal to natural gas in the power sector. For Germany, with methane leakage rates below specific break-even levels, transitioning to natural gas can significantly reduce CO2-equivalent GHG emissions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hailey M. Summers, Evan Sproul, Jason C. Quinn
Summary: The legalization of cannabis has led to a significant increase in commercial production, but the environmental impact of the industry has not been fully quantified. Indoor cultivation of cannabis relies heavily on electricity and natural gas, resulting in substantial greenhouse gas emissions. A life cycle assessment across the United States shows the energy and material costs of indoor cannabis growing operations.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hugh Z. Li, Patricia M. B. Saint-Vincent, Mumbi Mundia-Howe, Natalie J. Pekney
Summary: The 2015 Aliso Canyon storage well blowout is considered the worst natural gas leak in the history of the United States, releasing approximately 1 million metric tons of methane. A total of 129 incident-related events in underground natural gas storage were compiled from various sources, with a heavy-tailed emission pattern and the top seven events contributing to 98% of the total emissions.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Clay Bell, Chiemezie Ilonze, Aidan Duggan, Daniel Zimmerle
Summary: Continuous emission monitoring (CM) solutions promise to detect methane emissions in natural gas infrastructure, but this study found that the performance of different CM solutions varied greatly. Some solutions had a high probability of detection and accurate quantification, while others had high levels of uncertainty and false positive rates. The results indicate that the performance of individual CM solutions should be well understood before relying on them for emissions mitigation or regulatory reporting.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
J. Rochussen, N. S. B. Jaeger, H. Penner, A. Khan, P. Kirchen
Summary: Low Pressure Dual Fuel (LPDF) marine engines fueled with natural gas (NG) can effectively reduce fuel sulfur content, and NOx and PM emissions for marine vessels. However, the accuracy of using generalized engine test cycles for assessing GHG emissions reduction from LPDF NG engines is limited due to the sensitivity of CH4 slip to engine load. This study aims to quantify the GHG emissions reductions possible using the current best available LPDF technology and evaluate the real-world emissions reduction achieved through improved vessel operating strategies and state-of-the-art engine technology for coastal LPDF vessels.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jordan E. Krechmer, Andrew T. Lambe, Tara I. Yacovitch, Francesca Y. Majluf, Conner Daube, W. Berk Knighton, Christoph Dyro, Edward C. Fortner, Joseph R. Roscioli, Scott C. Herndon, Douglas R. Worsnop, Manjula R. Canagaratna
Summary: Comprehensive measurement and analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxygenated VOCs emitted from wildfires are crucial for understanding and controlling ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation. This study used cutting-edge instruments to sample real-world fires and compared the results with controlled lab experiments, finding consistent emission ratios.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Carsten Warneke, Joshua P. Schwarz, Jack Dibb, Olga Kalashnikova, Gregory Frost, Jassim Al-Saad, Steven S. Brown, Wm Alan Brewer, Amber Soja, Felix C. Seidel, Rebecca A. Washenfelder, Elizabeth B. Wiggins, Richard H. Moore, Bruce E. Anderson, Carolyn Jordan, Tara Yacovitch, Scott C. Herndon, Shang Liu, Toshihiro Kuwayama, Daniel Jaffe, Nancy Johnston, Vanessa Selimovic, Robert Yokelson, David M. Giles, Brent N. Holben, Philippe Goloub, Ioana Popovici, Michael Trainer, Aditya Kumar, R. Bradley Pierce, David Fahey, James Roberts, Emily M. Gargulinski, David A. Peterson, Xinxin Ye, Laura H. Thapa, Pablo E. Saide, Charles H. Fite, Christopher D. Holmes, Siyuan Wang, Matthew M. Coggon, Zachary C. J. Decker, Chelsea E. Stockwell, Lu Xu, Georgios Gkatzelis, Kenneth Aikin, Barry Lefer, Jackson Kaspari, Debora Griffin, Linghan Zeng, Rodney Weber, Meredith Hastings, Jiajue Chai, Glenn M. Wolfe, Thomas F. Hanisco, Jin Liao, Pedro Campuzano Jost, Hongyu Guo, Jose L. Jimenez, James Crawford
Summary: The NOAA/NASA Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality (FIREX-AQ) experiment aimed to study the impact of fires on regional and global environments and air quality. The experiment measured trace gas and aerosol emissions, observed fire dynamics, assessed fire modeling, and examined connections to ground and satellite observables. The experiment involved aircraft, satellites, mobile laboratories, and ground sites.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tracey L. Footer, Eben D. Thoma, Nigel Clark, Derek Johnson, Jennifer Nash, Scott C. Herndon
Summary: In April 2018, a study was conducted to measure emissions from pneumatic controllers (PCs) using optical gas imaging (OGI) and full flow sampler (FFS) at oil and natural gas production sites in West Virginia. The study identified and characterized PC systems with excessive emissions caused by maintenance issues or nonoptimized process conditions. The results showed that most LE-IPCs had low emissions, while GPU liquid level IPC systems had higher emissions, especially in sites with high product throughput. The study emphasized the importance of inspection and maintenance practices for reducing emissions from PCs.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT-X
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
David J. Nesbitt, Alex M. Zolot, Joseph R. Roscioli, Mikhail Ryazanov
Summary: We often learn in our freshman courses that there are three phases of matter, but there is an additional phase associated with the microscopically thin interface between gas and liquid. In this Account, we investigate three new directions for the field, using quantum-state-resolved perspectives and tools of chemical physics and laser spectroscopy. Our studies reveal rovibronic state dependences in the sticking and solvation of molecules at the gas-liquid interface, indicating the importance of quantum mechanics and nonequilibrium thermodynamics in energy transfer and chemical reactions. This rapidly emergent field of chemical dynamics at gas-liquid interfaces is complex but intriguing for further exploration.
ACCOUNTS OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Avpreet Othee, James Cale, Arthur Santos, Stephen Frank, Daniel Zimmerle, Omkar Ghatpande, Gerald Duggan, Daniel Gerber
Summary: Recently, there has been research interest in DC distribution systems for buildings. A modeling toolkit called BEEAM was developed to evaluate AC-only, DC-only, and hybrid AC/DC distribution systems in buildings. The toolkit includes harmonic power flow and nonlinear device descriptions. Simulations using the toolkit showed reasonable accuracy in predicting device and system efficiencies compared to experimental measurements. The toolkit is proposed as a useful tool for comparing efficiency in AC, DC, and hybrid AC/DC distribution systems in buildings.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Clay Bell, Chiemezie Ilonze, Aidan Duggan, Daniel Zimmerle
Summary: Continuous emission monitoring (CM) solutions promise to detect methane emissions in natural gas infrastructure, but this study found that the performance of different CM solutions varied greatly. Some solutions had a high probability of detection and accurate quantification, while others had high levels of uncertainty and false positive rates. The results indicate that the performance of individual CM solutions should be well understood before relying on them for emissions mitigation or regulatory reporting.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Brian M. Gentry, Allen L. Robinson, Peter J. Adams
Summary: People of color bear disproportionate health impacts of air pollution, making air quality a critical issue of environmental justice. A high-resolution reduced-complexity model (EASIUR-HR) is developed to evaluate the disproportionate impacts of ground-level primary PM2.5 emissions. The model reveals that low-resolution models underestimate the local spatial variation of air pollution exposure and the contribution of these emissions to national inequality.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Oladayo Oladeji, Mariana Saitas, Toriq Mustapha, Natalie M. M. Johnson, Weihsueh A. A. Chiu, Ivan Rusyn, Allen L. L. Robinson, Albert A. A. Presto
Summary: On February 3, 2023, a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, OH, leading to temporary evacuation and controlled burn of some of the hazardous cargo. Residents reported health symptoms, and initial data from air monitoring indicated potential concern for air toxics. Mobile air monitoring conducted later showed that the levels of some chemicals were below risk levels, but acrolein levels were high and additional unique compounds were found, suggesting the need for further monitoring to characterize long-term exposure and risk levels.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Energy & Fuels
Arvind P. Ravikumar, Erin E. Tullos, David T. Allen, Ben Cahill, Steven P. Hamburg, Daniel Zimmerle, Thomas A. Fox, Manfredi Caltagirone, Lara Owens, Robert Stout, Andrew J. Grimes, Tania M. Fernandez, Carrie Jenks, Riley Duren, Antoine Halff, Morgan D. Bazilian, Stefanie Rucker
Summary: A differentiated natural gas market is crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in global natural gas supply chains. Trust in such markets relies on a transparent framework for reporting independently verifiable and accurate emissions data.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Tara I. Yacovitch, Christoph Dyroff, Joseph R. Roscioli, Conner Daube, J. Barry McManus, Scott C. Herndon
Summary: We present an Aerodyne tunable infrared laser direct absorption spectrometer with a multipass cell for the detection of ethylene oxide (EtO). The monitor achieves high precisions and demonstrates enhancement events of EtO lasting a few hours with peaks as high as 600 ppt. The source of EtO emission is confirmed through mobile near-source measurements.
ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
John W. Halfacre, Jordan Stewart, Scott C. Herndon, Joseph R. Roscioli, Christoph Dyroff, Tara I. Yacovitch, Michael Flynn, Stephen J. Andrews, Steven S. Brown, Patrick R. Veres, Pete M. Edwards
Summary: In this study, tunable infrared laser direct absorption spectroscopy (TILDAS) was used for sensitive, in situ detection of HCl. The method showed a precision of 7-8 pptv with a detection limit of 21-24 pptv. The accuracy and response time of the method were also demonstrated.
ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jamy Y. Y. Lee, Conner Daube, Ed Fortner, Nicholas Ellsworth, Nathaniel W. W. May, Jason Tallant, Scott Herndon, Kerri A. A. Pratt
Summary: A prescribed burn was conducted at the University of Michigan Biological Station in October 2017 to study the composition of smoke emissions from common biomass in the north-central United States. The resulting data provided detailed insights into the gas and particle concentration and composition measurements of the burned forest.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-ATMOSPHERES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew J. Lindsay, Daniel C. Anderson, Rebecca A. Wernis, Yutong Liang, Allen H. Goldstein, Scott C. Herndon, Joseph R. Roscioli, Christoph Dyroff, Ed C. Fortner, Philip L. Croteau, Francesca Majluf, Jordan E. Krechmer, Tara I. Yacovitch, Walter B. Knighton, Ezra C. Wood
Summary: Ozone and total peroxy radical concentrations increase significantly during biomass burning smoke events, but ozone production rates are minimally impacted by smoke presence. Model predictions overestimated peroxy radical concentrations, indicating potential sources of discrepancy in modeling mechanisms.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2022)