Recent Advances Toward Transparent Methane Emissions Monitoring: A Review

Abstract

Given that anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be immediately reduced to avoid drastic increases in global temperature, methane emissions have been placed center stage in the fight against climate change. Methane has a significantly larger warming potential than carbon dioxide. A large percentage of methane emissions are in the form of industry emissions, some of which can now be readily identified and mitigated. This review considers recent advances in methane detection that allow accurate and transparent monitoring, which are needed for reducing uncertainty in source attribution and evaluating progress in emissions reductions. A particular focus is on complementary methods operating at different scales with applications for the oil and gas industry, allowing rapid detection of large point sources and addressing inconsistencies of emissions inventories. Emerging airborne and satellite imaging spectrometers are advancing our understanding and offer new top-down assessment methods to complement bottom-up methods. Successfully merging estimates across scales is vital for increased certainty regarding greenhouse gas emissions and can inform regulatory decisions. The development of comprehensive, transparent, and spatially resolved top-down and bottom-up inventories will be crucial for holding nations accountable for their climate commitments.

City-level livestock methane emissions in China from 2010 to 2020

“…Ruminant animals are the main contributors to livestock methane emissions, while nonruminant animals such as swine can also emit methane, especially in the manure management process 40 . There are currently two main approaches for estimating methane emissions, namely, top-down and bottom-up methods 41 . The top-down method usually involves satellite observation technology, while the bottom-up method is usually based on statistical data 42 .…”

Point Sensor Networks Struggle to Detect and Quantify Short Controlled Releases at Oil and Gas Sites

“…Traditional LDAR techniques involved Method 21, optical gas imaging (OGI), or audio, visual, and olfactory (AVO)-type inspections, all of which are manual and time intensive processes to inspect each equipment unit and component [ 17 ]. Next-generation leak detection and quantification (LDAQ) solutions attempt to provide a less time-intensive methodology and are generally divided into two types, based upon the deployment and supervision of the solution [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Survey solutions detect and quantify emissions during ‘snapshots’ in time, and CEMs monitor emissions ‘continuously’.…”

Effects of methane emissions on multiple myeloma-related mortality rates: A World Health Organization perspective

“…Industry emissions account for a significant portion of methane emissions, some of which are now easily identified and reduced. [ 7 ] Although atmospheric evasion can be decreased by aerobic methane oxidation, little is known about how much of it occurs or how to manage it. [ 8 ] In 2021, atmospheric methane concentrations hit a record-breaking 1900 parts per billion, necessitating action to address all methane sources.…”