GHGSat Publications

Offshore Methane Detection and Quantification from Space Using Sun Glint Measurements with the GHGSat Constellation

Abstract The ability to detect and quantify methane emissions from offshore platforms is of considerable interest to provide actionable feedback to industrial operators. While satellites offer a distinctive advantage for remote sensing of offshore platforms which may otherwise be difficult to reach, offshore measurements of methane from satellite instruments in the shortwave-infrared are challenging due […]

Automated detection and monitoring of methane super-emitters using satellite data

Abstract A reduction in anthropogenic methane emissions is vital to limit near-term global warming. A small number of so-called super-emitters is responsible for a disproportionally large fraction of total methane emissions. Since late 2017, the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) has been in orbit providing daily global coverage of methane mixing ratios at a resolution of […]

Quantifying methane emissions from the global scale down to point sources using satellite observations of atmospheric methane

Abstract We review the capability of current and scheduled satellite observations of atmospheric methane in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) to quantify methane emissions from the global scale down to point sources. We cover retrieval methods, precision and accuracy requirements, inverse and mass balance methods for inferring emissions, source detection thresholds, and observing system completeness. We […]

Analysis of a Tiered Top-Down Approach Using Satellite and Aircraft Platforms to Monitor Oil and Gas Facilities in the Permian Basin

Abstract As energy systems transition towards decarbonization, natural gas is expected to play an important role as a cleaner hydrocarbon fuel source to bridge the gap between renewable energy production and increasing energy demand. Regulatory schemes aim to reduce methane emissions from natural gas systems to ensure the total environmental impacts of natural gas production […]

Using satellites to uncover large methane emissions from landfills

Abstract As atmospheric methane concentrations increase at record pace, it is critical to identify individual emission sources with high potential for mitigation. Here, we leverage the synergy between satellite instruments with different spatiotemporal coverage and resolution to detect and quantify emissions from individual landfills. We use the global surveying Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) to identify […]

The GHGSat-D imaging spectrometer

Abstract The demonstration satellite GHGSat-D, or “Claire”, launched on 21 June 2016, is the first in a planned constellation of small satellites designed and operated by GHGSat, Inc. to measure greenhouse gas emissions at the facility scale from space. Its instrument measures methane concentrations by collecting and spectrally decomposing solar backscattered radiation in the shortwave […]

Multisatellite imaging of a gas well blowout enables quantification of total methane emissions

Abstract Incidents involving loss of control of oil/gas wells can result in large but variable emissions whose impact on the global methane budget is currently unknown. On November 1, 2019, a gas well blowout was reported in the Eagle Ford Shale. By combining satellite observations at different spatial and temporal scales, we quantified emissions 10 […]

High-frequency monitoring of anomalous methane point sources with multispectral Sentinel-2 satellite observations

Abstract We demonstrate the capability of the Sentinel-2 MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) to detect and quantify anomalously large methane point sources with fine pixel resolution (20 m) and rapid revisit rates (2–5 d). We present three methane column retrieval methods that use shortwave infrared (SWIR) measurements from MSI spectral bands 11 (∼ 1560–1660 nm) and 12 (∼ 2090–2290 nm) to detect atmospheric […]

Satellite discovery of anomalously large methane point sources from oil/gas production

Abstract Rapid identification of anomalous methane sources in oil/gas fields could enable corrective action to fight climate change. The GHGSat-D satellite instrument measuring atmospheric methane with 50-meter spatial resolution was launched in 2016 to demonstrate space-based monitoring of methane point sources. Here we report the GHGSat-D discovery of an anomalously large, persistent methane source (10–43 […]

Global monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions

Abstract Earlier this year, GHGSat launched the world’s first satellite capable of measuring greenhouse gas emissions from targeted industrial facilities around the world. We will offer a single solution to measure emissions rates of carbon dioxide and methane from selected targets with greater precision and lower cost than ground-based alternatives, across a wide range of […]

Quantifying methane point sources from fine-scale satellite observations of atmospheric methane plumes

Abstract Anthropogenic methane emissions originate from a large number of relatively small point sources. The planned GHGSat satellite fleet aims to quantify emissions from individual point sources by measuring methane column plumes over selected ∼10×10 km2 domains with ≤50×50 m2 pixel resolution and 1 %–5 % measurement precision. Here we develop algorithms for retrieving point source rates from such […]

Quantifying time-averaged methane emissions from individual coal mine vents with GHGSat-D satellite observations

Abstract Satellite observations of atmospheric methane plumes offer a means for global mapping of methane point sources. Here we use the GHGSat-D satellite instrument with 50 m effective spatial resolution and 9–18% single-pass column precision to quantify mean source rates for three coal mine vents (San Juan, United States; Appin, Australia; and Bulianta, China) over […]