Methane emissions from oil and gas industry detected from space: study

In this Aug. 26, 2021 file photo, a flare burns natural gas at an oil well Aug. 26, 2021, in Watford City, N.D. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, file)

Massive methane emissions from the oil and gas industry can be detected from space and are costing countries billions of dollars, according to a new study.

“Methane emissions from oil-and-gas production and transmission represent a considerable contribution to climate change,” the study said. “These emissions comprise sporadic releases of large amounts of methane during maintenance operations or equipment failures not accounted for in current inventory estimates.”

Published Feb. 4 in the academic journal Science, the study was led by researchers from France’s Climate and Environment Sciences Laboratory.

They used satellite imagery to measure the world’s largest methane emissions. By looking at data from 2019 and 2020, researchers discovered 1,800 methane plumes, 1,200 of which were linked to intentional venting or accidental leaks from fossil-fuel extraction. According to a press release, the climate impact of these emissions is “comparable to that of 20 million vehicles on the road for one year.”

Methane is the main component of natural gas and seen as a major contributor to climate change. At room temperature, methane is lighter than air, which can make it a challenge to capture and store. A quarter of all human-related methane emissions is believed to come from global coal, oil and natural gas extraction.

The researcher noted that their findings are “just the tip of the iceberg” because they were only able to monitor larger methane releases from space, which account for approximately 10 per cent of all industry emissions. The majority of emissions were detected over the world’s largest oil and gas production basins.

Reducing methane emissions, the researchers added, can be achieved “at low costs” and would benefit the environment and “yield billions of dollars in net savings” for the world’s biggest oil and gas-producing countries.