Mobile Measurement of Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Developments in Northeastern British Columbia, Canada
Published by:
Academic journal
Authored by:
John Werring,
Emmaline Atherton,
David Risk,
Chelsea Fougère,
Martin Lavoie,
Alex Marshall,
James P. Williams,
Christina Minions
Partners:
St. Francis Xavier University’s Flux Lab
Published in:
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
ISBN:
12405-12420
Climate solutions methane pollution, British Columbia, energy, industry, fossil fuels, climate change, greenhouse gas emissions
The David Suzuki Foundation, in partnership with St. Francis Xavier University’s Flux Lab, conducted the first comprehensive measurement of fugitive methane emissions, both vented and leaked, in B.C. Results were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. This research used a conservative methodology and sophisticated gas-detection instruments covering more than 8,000 kilometres of oil and gas roads in northeastern B.C. to determine a minimum inventory of methane emissions.
The findings reveal that methane emissions from B.C.’s Montney region alone are greater than what the provincial government has estimated for the entire industry. This suggests that methane emissions from the industry as a whole are at least 2.5 times higher than what the province estimates. In addition, this survey found that approximately 47 per cent of active wells are emitting methane-rich plumes.
