Offshore methane detection and quantification from space using sun glint measurements with the GHGSat constellation

Abstract

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 to the low levels of diffuse sunlight reflected from water surfaces. Here, we use the GHGSat satellite constellation in a sun glint configuration to detect and quantify methane emissions from offshore targets around the world. We present a variety of examples of offshore methane plumes, including the largest single emission at (84,000 ± 24,000) kg h−1 observed by GHGSat from the Nord Stream 2 pipeline leak in 2022 and the smallest offshore emission measured from space at (180 ± 130) kg h−1 in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, we provide an overview of the constellation’s offshore measurement capabilities. We measure a median column precision of 2.1% of the background methane column density and estimate a detection limit, from analytical modelling and orbital simulations, that varies between 160 kg h−1 and 600 kg h−1 depending on the latitude and season.