Source: NASA JPL
Image Credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Michigan
The Four Corners area (red) is the major U.S. hot spot for methane emissions in this map showing how much emissions varied from average background concentrations from 2003-2009 (dark colors are lower than average; lighter colors are higher).
The study's lead author, Eric Kort of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, noted the study period predates the widespread use of hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, near the hot spot. This indicates the methane emissions should not be attributed to fracking but instead to leaks in natural gas production and processing equipment in New Mexico's San Juan Basin, which is the most active coalbed methane production area in the country.
Natural gas is 95-98 percent methane. Methane is colorless and odorless, making leaks hard to detect without scientific instruments.
...
"The results are indicative that emissions from established fossil fuel harvesting techniques are greater than inventoried," Kort said. "There's been so much attention on high-volume hydraulic fracturing, but we need to consider the industry as a whole.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comment Guidelines: In your first comment, please explain if you agree or disagree with statements made in the post. Please also be respectful of others at all times. Pretend like this is a competition to see who can be the most mature and the most intelligent. And remember, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you post here can and will be used against you. I will not delete your posts just because you are embarrassed that your comments make you look like an idiot. Others may or may not treat you with the same respect you have treated them. And finally, thanks for reading and thanks for your comments!