Abstract
Production of coal and natural gas is responsible for one third of anthropogenic methane (CH4) emissions in the United States. Here we examine CH4 emissions from coal and natural gas production in southwestern Pennsylvania. Using a top-down methodology combining measurements of CH4 and ethane, we conclude that while Environmental Protection Agency inventories appear to report emissions from coal accurately, emissions from unconventional natural gas are underreported in the region by a factor of 5 (±3). However, production-scaled CH4 emissions from unconventional gas production in the Marcellus remain small compared to other basins due to its large production per well. After normalizing emissions by energy produced, total greenhouse gas emissions from Pennsylvania unconventional natural gas production produce half the carbon footprint compared to regionally produced coal, with carbon dioxide emissions from combustion being the dominant source of greenhouse gas emissions for both sources.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 4531-4540 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Geophysical Research Letters |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 28 2019 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Geophysics
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
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Estimating Methane Emissions From Underground Coal and Natural Gas Production in Southwestern Pennsylvania. / Barkley, Zachary Robert; Lauvaux, T.; Davis, Kenneth James; Deng, A.; Fried, A.; Weibring, P.; Richter, D.; Walega, J. G.; DiGangi, J.; Ehrman, S. H.; Ren, X.; Dickerson, R. R.
In: Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 46, No. 8, 28.04.2019, p. 4531-4540.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Estimating Methane Emissions From Underground Coal and Natural Gas Production in Southwestern Pennsylvania
AU - Barkley, Zachary Robert
AU - Lauvaux, T.
AU - Davis, Kenneth James
AU - Deng, A.
AU - Fried, A.
AU - Weibring, P.
AU - Richter, D.
AU - Walega, J. G.
AU - DiGangi, J.
AU - Ehrman, S. H.
AU - Ren, X.
AU - Dickerson, R. R.
PY - 2019/4/28
Y1 - 2019/4/28
N2 - Production of coal and natural gas is responsible for one third of anthropogenic methane (CH4) emissions in the United States. Here we examine CH4 emissions from coal and natural gas production in southwestern Pennsylvania. Using a top-down methodology combining measurements of CH4 and ethane, we conclude that while Environmental Protection Agency inventories appear to report emissions from coal accurately, emissions from unconventional natural gas are underreported in the region by a factor of 5 (±3). However, production-scaled CH4 emissions from unconventional gas production in the Marcellus remain small compared to other basins due to its large production per well. After normalizing emissions by energy produced, total greenhouse gas emissions from Pennsylvania unconventional natural gas production produce half the carbon footprint compared to regionally produced coal, with carbon dioxide emissions from combustion being the dominant source of greenhouse gas emissions for both sources.
AB - Production of coal and natural gas is responsible for one third of anthropogenic methane (CH4) emissions in the United States. Here we examine CH4 emissions from coal and natural gas production in southwestern Pennsylvania. Using a top-down methodology combining measurements of CH4 and ethane, we conclude that while Environmental Protection Agency inventories appear to report emissions from coal accurately, emissions from unconventional natural gas are underreported in the region by a factor of 5 (±3). However, production-scaled CH4 emissions from unconventional gas production in the Marcellus remain small compared to other basins due to its large production per well. After normalizing emissions by energy produced, total greenhouse gas emissions from Pennsylvania unconventional natural gas production produce half the carbon footprint compared to regionally produced coal, with carbon dioxide emissions from combustion being the dominant source of greenhouse gas emissions for both sources.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85065134946&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85065134946&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1029/2019GL082131
DO - 10.1029/2019GL082131
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85065134946
VL - 46
SP - 4531
EP - 4540
JO - Geophysical Research Letters
JF - Geophysical Research Letters
SN - 0094-8276
IS - 8
ER -