Quantifying Methane and Ozone Precursor Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Regions across the Contiguous US

Colby B. Francoeur; Brian C. McDonald; Jessica B. Gilman; Kyle J. Zarzana; Barbara Dix; Steven S. Brown; Joost A. de Gouw; Gregory J. Frost; Meng Li; Stuart A. McKeen; Jeff Peischl; Ilana B. Pollack; Thomas B. Ryerson; Chelsea Thompson; Carsten Warneke; Michael Trainer

doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c07352

Quantifying Methane and Ozone Precursor Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Regions across the Contiguous US

Colby B. Francoeur, Brian C. McDonald, Jessica B. Gilman, Kyle J. Zarzana, Barbara Dix, Steven S. Brown, Joost A. de Gouw, Gregory J. Frost, Meng Li, Stuart A. McKeen, Jeff Peischl, Ilana B. Pollack, Thomas B. Ryerson, Chelsea Thompson, Carsten Warneke, Michael Trainer

Experimental Science Section

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40 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present an updated fuel-based oil and gas (FOG) inventory with estimates of nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions from oil and natural gas production in the contiguous US (CONUS). We compare the FOG inventory with aircraft-derived (“top-down”) emissions for NO_xover footprints that account for ∼25% of US oil and natural gas production. Across CONUS, we find that the bottom-up FOG inventory combined with other anthropogenic emissions is on average within ∼10% of top-down aircraft-derived NO_xemissions. We also find good agreement in the trends of NO_xfrom drilling- and production-phase activities, as inferred by satellites and in the bottom-up inventory. Leveraging tracer-tracer relationships derived from aircraft observations, methane (CH₄) and non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC) emissions have been added to the inventory. Our total CONUS emission estimates for 2015 of oil and natural gas are 0.45 ± 0.14 Tg NO_x/yr, 15.2 ± 3.0 Tg CH₄/yr, and 5.7 ± 1.7 Tg NMVOC/yr. Compared to the US National Emissions Inventory and Greenhouse Gas Inventory, FOG NO_xemissions are ∼40% lower, while inferred CH₄and NMVOC emissions are up to a factor of ∼2 higher. This suggests that NMVOC/NO_xemissions from oil and gas basins are ∼3 times higher than current estimates and will likely affect how air quality models represent ozone formation downwind of oil and gas fields.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	9129-9139
Number of pages	11
Journal	Environmental Science and Technology
Volume	55
Issue number	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c07352
State	Published - Jul 6 2021

Keywords

air quality
climate
emissions
energy production
methane
nitrogen oxides
non-methane volatile organic compounds
oil and gas

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10.1021/acs.est.0c07352

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Francoeur, C. B., McDonald, B. C., Gilman, J. B., Zarzana, K. J., Dix, B., Brown, S. S., de Gouw, J. A., Frost, G. J., Li, M., McKeen, S. A., Peischl, J., Pollack, I. B., Ryerson, T. B., Thompson, C., Warneke, C., & Trainer, M. (2021). Quantifying Methane and Ozone Precursor Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Regions across the Contiguous US. Environmental Science and Technology, 55(13), 9129-9139. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c07352

@article{d18ead698c98490287a017f9fd13330d,

title = "Quantifying Methane and Ozone Precursor Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Regions across the Contiguous US",

abstract = "We present an updated fuel-based oil and gas (FOG) inventory with estimates of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from oil and natural gas production in the contiguous US (CONUS). We compare the FOG inventory with aircraft-derived (“top-down”) emissions for NOxover footprints that account for ∼25\% of US oil and natural gas production. Across CONUS, we find that the bottom-up FOG inventory combined with other anthropogenic emissions is on average within ∼10\% of top-down aircraft-derived NOxemissions. We also find good agreement in the trends of NOxfrom drilling- and production-phase activities, as inferred by satellites and in the bottom-up inventory. Leveraging tracer-tracer relationships derived from aircraft observations, methane (CH4) and non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC) emissions have been added to the inventory. Our total CONUS emission estimates for 2015 of oil and natural gas are 0.45 ± 0.14 Tg NOx/yr, 15.2 ± 3.0 Tg CH4/yr, and 5.7 ± 1.7 Tg NMVOC/yr. Compared to the US National Emissions Inventory and Greenhouse Gas Inventory, FOG NOxemissions are ∼40\% lower, while inferred CH4and NMVOC emissions are up to a factor of ∼2 higher. This suggests that NMVOC/NOxemissions from oil and gas basins are ∼3 times higher than current estimates and will likely affect how air quality models represent ozone formation downwind of oil and gas fields.",

keywords = "air quality, climate, emissions, energy production, methane, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds, oil and gas",

author = "Francoeur, \{Colby B.\} and McDonald, \{Brian C.\} and Gilman, \{Jessica B.\} and Zarzana, \{Kyle J.\} and Barbara Dix and Brown, \{Steven S.\} and \{de Gouw\}, \{Joost A.\} and Frost, \{Gregory J.\} and Meng Li and McKeen, \{Stuart A.\} and Jeff Peischl and Pollack, \{Ilana B.\} and Ryerson, \{Thomas B.\} and Chelsea Thompson and Carsten Warneke and Michael Trainer",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

day = "6",

doi = "10.1021/acs.est.0c07352",

language = "English",

volume = "55",

pages = "9129--9139",

journal = "Environmental Science and Technology",

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Francoeur, CB, McDonald, BC, Gilman, JB, Zarzana, KJ, Dix, B, Brown, SS, de Gouw, JA, Frost, GJ, Li, M, McKeen, SA, Peischl, J, Pollack, IB, Ryerson, TB, Thompson, C, Warneke, C & Trainer, M 2021, 'Quantifying Methane and Ozone Precursor Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Regions across the Contiguous US', Environmental Science and Technology, vol. 55, no. 13, pp. 9129-9139. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c07352

TY - JOUR

T1 - Quantifying Methane and Ozone Precursor Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Regions across the Contiguous US

AU - Francoeur, Colby B.

AU - McDonald, Brian C.

AU - Gilman, Jessica B.

AU - Zarzana, Kyle J.

AU - Dix, Barbara

AU - Brown, Steven S.

AU - de Gouw, Joost A.

AU - Frost, Gregory J.

AU - Li, Meng

AU - McKeen, Stuart A.

AU - Peischl, Jeff

AU - Pollack, Ilana B.

AU - Ryerson, Thomas B.

AU - Thompson, Chelsea

AU - Warneke, Carsten

AU - Trainer, Michael

PY - 2021/7/6

Y1 - 2021/7/6

N2 - We present an updated fuel-based oil and gas (FOG) inventory with estimates of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from oil and natural gas production in the contiguous US (CONUS). We compare the FOG inventory with aircraft-derived (“top-down”) emissions for NOxover footprints that account for ∼25% of US oil and natural gas production. Across CONUS, we find that the bottom-up FOG inventory combined with other anthropogenic emissions is on average within ∼10% of top-down aircraft-derived NOxemissions. We also find good agreement in the trends of NOxfrom drilling- and production-phase activities, as inferred by satellites and in the bottom-up inventory. Leveraging tracer-tracer relationships derived from aircraft observations, methane (CH4) and non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC) emissions have been added to the inventory. Our total CONUS emission estimates for 2015 of oil and natural gas are 0.45 ± 0.14 Tg NOx/yr, 15.2 ± 3.0 Tg CH4/yr, and 5.7 ± 1.7 Tg NMVOC/yr. Compared to the US National Emissions Inventory and Greenhouse Gas Inventory, FOG NOxemissions are ∼40% lower, while inferred CH4and NMVOC emissions are up to a factor of ∼2 higher. This suggests that NMVOC/NOxemissions from oil and gas basins are ∼3 times higher than current estimates and will likely affect how air quality models represent ozone formation downwind of oil and gas fields.

AB - We present an updated fuel-based oil and gas (FOG) inventory with estimates of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from oil and natural gas production in the contiguous US (CONUS). We compare the FOG inventory with aircraft-derived (“top-down”) emissions for NOxover footprints that account for ∼25% of US oil and natural gas production. Across CONUS, we find that the bottom-up FOG inventory combined with other anthropogenic emissions is on average within ∼10% of top-down aircraft-derived NOxemissions. We also find good agreement in the trends of NOxfrom drilling- and production-phase activities, as inferred by satellites and in the bottom-up inventory. Leveraging tracer-tracer relationships derived from aircraft observations, methane (CH4) and non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC) emissions have been added to the inventory. Our total CONUS emission estimates for 2015 of oil and natural gas are 0.45 ± 0.14 Tg NOx/yr, 15.2 ± 3.0 Tg CH4/yr, and 5.7 ± 1.7 Tg NMVOC/yr. Compared to the US National Emissions Inventory and Greenhouse Gas Inventory, FOG NOxemissions are ∼40% lower, while inferred CH4and NMVOC emissions are up to a factor of ∼2 higher. This suggests that NMVOC/NOxemissions from oil and gas basins are ∼3 times higher than current estimates and will likely affect how air quality models represent ozone formation downwind of oil and gas fields.

KW - air quality

KW - climate

KW - emissions

KW - energy production

KW - methane

KW - nitrogen oxides

KW - non-methane volatile organic compounds

KW - oil and gas

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85110196314

U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.0c07352

DO - 10.1021/acs.est.0c07352

M3 - Article

C2 - 34161066

AN - SCOPUS:85110196314

SN - 0013-936X

VL - 55

SP - 9129

EP - 9139

JO - Environmental Science and Technology

JF - Environmental Science and Technology

IS - 13

ER -

Quantifying Methane and Ozone Precursor Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Regions across the Contiguous US

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