About 40% of methane greenhouse gas emissions come from natural sources such as wetlands [ref]. Due to the high water levels in these habitats, the saturated soils have low levels of oxygen which causes microbes within the soil to produce methane gas.
The remaining 60% of methane gas emissions come from human activity, predominantly agriculture, followed closely by fossil fuel production (oil & gas industry) and the processing of waste in landfills (waste management industry) [ref].
The energy sector accounts for around 40% of anthropogenic methane emissions [ref]. Extraction processes used in oil, natural gas and coal production create fissures in the surrounding rock seams which result in methane being released into the atmosphere.
To dissipate this greenhouse gas, a process of natural gas flaring by operators is conducted, where the methane is flared (burned off), or in the case of coal mining, the methane can be vented directly into the atmosphere for safety reasons. However, inefficient flaring operations that fail to burn the gas, direct venting of methane and leaks from oil and gas infrastructure such as pipes, are adding to the global methane budget. This is what is known as methane leakage and sometimes referred to as super-emitter events. These leakages have been taking place in oil and gas fields throughout the world.
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Methane leakage monitoring
Methane leakage detection and quantification are critical to reducing methane emissions from fossil fuel production. Sensors in space that use spectral imaging technology are capable of measuring methane emissions by recognizing the unique spectral signature of methane gas.
GHGSat’s imaging technology is changing the way the world measures methane emissions and methane leakage. Our Company’s patented interferometer provides our team with the opportunity to observe emissions like never before. By merging multiple sources of light, GHGSat satellites are able to create an interference pattern, which enables companies to measure and pinpoint methane leakage from individual sites around the world.
The same sensor has been adapted by GHGSat for use on aircraft, enabling companies to offer both global satellite emissions monitoring and localized campaigns.
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Reducing methane emissions and identifying methane leakage
The importance of methane leak detection
Methane is responsible for over 30% of global warming since the start of the Industrial Revolution. While carbon dioxide remains the focus for reducing emissions, the role of methane is now more widely understood. Methane, although short-lived in the atmosphere (about 20 years) compared to carbon dioxide (CO2), has about 84 times the global warming potential (GWP) of CO2. So if we can reduce it quickly and effectively, it is the best strategic measure we can take now to meet the 1.5 degrees global temperature rise target set out in the 2007 Paris Climate Agreement.
The good news is, the technology we need to monitor industrial sources, identify methane leaks and reduce methane emissions is here now. Public satellites, high-resolution satellites combined with aerial and drone monitoring systems can detect and measure emissions with pinpoint precision providing companies with the data to take action.
The Global Methane Pledge
Transparency in methane reporting is one of the cornerstones of the Global Methane Pledge which is the global initiative to reduce emissions announced at the UN Climate Conference COP26, by the US administration and the EU. Signatories to the Pledge agree to cut methane emissions by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030 – to date over 111 nations have signed the Global Methane Pledge. In support of the Global Methane Pledge, the member companies of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) made an announcement on March 8th, 2022 to aim for zero methane emissions from their upstream operations by 2030 [ref].
On the eve of the COP26 Conference in 2021, the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) initiative was launched at the G20 Summit to report on global-scale methane emissions impacts and trends. At COP26, GHGSat and the government of Canada announced that Canada will be contributing the first high-resolution satellite data to the IMEO. GHGSat is the only company with the capability to provide high-resolution methane emissions monitoring by satellite on a global level. This announcement with the IMEO is a huge step in the global fight to tackle climate change.
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New technology supporting methane leak detection
The technology is available now for frequent methane emissions monitoring, which translates into the ability for governments and industries to act on the insight generated.
Satellite monitoring of methane emissions is possible both in low and high-resolution. Public satellite programmes, including the Sentinel satellites of the EU’s Copernicus Earth Observation programme have instruments, including Tropomi that are capable of wide-area methane detection to identify patterns, hotspots and regional variations, including super-emitting events. High-resolution satellites such as GHGSat’s constellation use the data from public satellites to focus their targeted monitoring campaigns on hotspots and precisely pinpoint the facilities responsible. This tiered approach is very successful in developing a clearer picture of emission sources and rates.
Aerial emissions monitoring adds another layer of data and is especially useful for localized monitoring campaigns. GHGSat’s aerial service operates using the same sensor found on its satellites, flying at a much lower altitude. With the higher resolution and lower detection threshold, GHGSat’s aircraft instrument can identify which piece of equipment is leaking so mitigating action of methane leakage can be deployed rapidly.
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Why monitor methane leaks by satellite?
Methane leakage technology
Typically, methane leaks have been monitored by companies using ground crews sent on-site with hand-held measuring devices to capture data. Due to the remote location of sites and their geographic reach, this has tended to create inconsistencies in methane leakage detection reporting. Furthermore, covering large areas by ground-based inspection is both resource-intensive and costly.
Monitoring methane leakage by satellite
Orbiting the planet 14 times a day, each GHGSat satellite offers a unique vantage point for delivering consistent monitoring of methane emissions across the world.
There are two types of satellite data available – those from large publicly-funded satellites such as ESA’s Sentinel satellites but now also GHGSat’s high-resolution satellite constellation, it’s now possible to pinpoint the sources of methane leaks, not just emissions hotspots. In response to the high demand for greenhouse gas emissions data, other organizations such as MethaneSat and Carbon Mapper are developing their own satellites to detect methane emissions.
As the global leader in remote sensing of greenhouse gas from space, an approach it pioneered, GHGSat satellites offer frequent, year-round and accurate monitoring of assets around the world to support decision-making and emission mitigation targets.
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Satellite methane emissions monitoring for carbon-intensive
Measuring methane leakage in the oil and gas industry
It’s understanding and accurately measuring methane emissions that is the starting point for addressing methane leaks in the oil & gas industry. Whilst we know that super-emitting events such as those seen in Turkmenistan release huge amounts of methane into the atmosphere, 76% of the methane emission observed by GHGSat in 2021 were too small to have been detected by public satellites. This means that monitoring services and the International Methane Emissions Observatory initiative will always need a layered data approach. Oil & gas companies need to understand the rate, the volume of methane to work out the most effective methane leakage and methane emissions mitigation strategy.
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Detecting methane emissions from coal mines and landfills
Methane gas is released from coal and the surrounding rock formations as a direct result of mining operations. 40% of all coal mines are open cast or surface types, and they release methane over wide areas. For this reason, due to the low concentration of methane being released, it was thought unlikely that satellites could see sufficient quantities of methane gas to make an accurate measurement. However, in October 2021, GHGSat detected the first methane emissions from an opencast coal mine from space in high-resolution.
Landfills release methane gas in the atmosphere from the decomposition of organic material. Over half the global methane emissions are a result of human activities such as oil production, coal mining and waste management. Emissions from waste account for about 30% of anthropogenic emissions. There is no single agreed global standard for the measurement of emissions from landfills. Today, methane emissions have primarily been estimated using models rather than direct measurements, hence claims that the numbers both over and underestimate the true level of emissions.
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About GHGSat’s oil and gas monitoring service
Aircrafts and satellites supporting methane leakage detection
GHGSat has six commercial satellites in orbit, detecting and measuring emissions for oil and gas customers across the world. In 2023, GHGSat’s constellation of high-resolution satellites is set to grow with the launch of three new satellites.
This increased monitoring capabilities and capacity for the oil & gas industry will continue to expand our Emission Analytics services providing actionable metrics critical to environmental, operational and financial decision-making. Consistent monitoring of assets to avoid loss of product and health and safety, rather than vented into the atmosphere.
Through SPECTRA, GHGSat’s emissions intelligence portal, we provide a simple-to-access data platform for customers to review their emissions metrics, looking at hotspots, trends and emission benchmarks, making it possible to drill down to individual facilities to support leak detection and repair (LDAR) campaigns.
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Satellites supporting leak detection and repair (LDAR)
GHGSat satellites accurately attribute fugitive methane gas emission sources to individual facilities, from unlit flares to open thief hatches, supporting methane leak detection and repair (LDAR) programs. Correct identification and quantification of source emissions allow for effective maintenance of leaks to reduce emissions.
Some facilities and equipment are spread across vast regions, or they are in areas that are difficult to access for ground repair crews, which leads to these areas being very rarely monitored for methane leaks. Satellites offer methane detection at facilities where methane leakages would otherwise go undetected. The ability to monitor and detect methane emissions from space allows for leaks to be identified and repaired quickly.
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GHGSat’s methane emissions calculator
Different units are used to discuss methane emissions around the world. These can vary by industry or by region, making it more challenging to properly communicate what it observed and the associated potential for reduction. To support the drive for transparency in greenhouse gas emissions, GHGSat has developed a Methane Emissions Calculator – a tool that quickly and automatically handles the conversion, making it easier to understand and calibrate emissions measurements.
GHGSat’s Methane Conversion Calculator can convert methane emission rates in different masses, volumes, and durations to facilitate effective communications regarding methane emissions.
