The oil and gas industry claims they burn off 98 percent of escaping natural gas through flares. A new study says that estimate was more than a little optimistic.
Plant and her colleagues sent planes to sample air over more than 300 flares in the Bakken Basin in North Dakota and the Permian and Eagle Ford basins in Texas, which account for more than 80 percent of the flaring in the country. The samples showed five times as much methane unburned than previously estimated.
The drop from 98 to 91 percent efficiency might seem small, but the effects are large, says Dan Cusworth, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Arizona in Tucson who was not involved in the study. “Any percentage that is in the methane phase instead of COHalf of the difference is due to flares that aren’t burning. “We expected that flares might show a range of efficiencies, but we did not expect to see so many unlit flares,” Plant says.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Gas leaks into the Baltic Sea from Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelinesThe Danish energy agency confirms three separate leaks in gas pipelines, with an unknown amount of methane seeping into the Baltic Sea.
Weiterlesen »
Flaring allows more methane into the atmosphere than we thoughtOil and gas producers rely on flaring to limit the venting of natural gas from their facilities, but new research led by the University of Michigan shows that in the real world, this practice is far less effective than estimated—releasing five times more methane in the U.S. than previously thought.
Weiterlesen »
Satellite spies leak from breached Russian Nord Stream gas pipeline (photo)The effects of a possible act of energy sabotage are visible from space. ⬇️
Weiterlesen »
Experts Say Leaking Russian Pipeline Likely Huge Environmental DisasterThe Nord Stream pipeline leaks in the Baltic Sea are going to be bad, and climate experts say the methane released pipelines from Russia may be sabotage.
Weiterlesen »