Scientists from several leading research universities, including Purdue and Cornell, published an article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that calls into question the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) estimates for methane emissions during the drilling phase of fracking operations in the Marcellus shale. These findings could have a significant impact on the public debate surrounding the impact natural gas development has on climate change.
Scientists monitored methane emissions by airplane and attempted to trace significant methane emissions back to their sources. They determined that certain Marcellus shale wells in western Pennsylvania emitted 34 grams of methane per second during drilling, a phase of production not previously assumed to be a significant source of methane emissions. This is two to three orders of magnitude (100-1,000 times) higher than the EPA’s estimate for methane emissions during drilling.
The discrepancies in estimates of methane emissions are significant because methane, which is the primary component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas. Although its lifespan in the atmosphere is shorter than that of carbon dioxide, methane is much more capable of trapping radiation than carbon dioxide. EPA estimates that methane can have about 20 times the impact on climate change as the same mass of carbon dioxide over 100 years.
It is clear that we still have a lot to learn about methane emissions from fracking activities and their role in climate change. EPA says that more studies are being conducted, and those data will be analyzed by government scientists. For now, this is another reminder that natural gas development must be approached cautiously.
Mike Helbing is a staff attorney for PennFuture and is based in Philadelphia.
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Showing posts with label Marcellus shale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marcellus shale. Show all posts
