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Atmospheric emission characterization of Marcellus shale natural gas development sites
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Atmospheric emission characterization of Marcellus shale natural gas development sites

J Douglas Goetz, Cody Floerchinger, Edward C Fortner, Joda Wormhoudt, Paola Massoli, W Berk Knighton, Scott C Herndon, Charles E Kolb, Eladio Knipping, Stephanie L Shaw, …
Environmental science & technology, v 49(11), pp 7012-7020
02 Jun 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b00452
PMID: 25897974
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b00452View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (Publisher-Specific),  Open

Abstract

Air Pollutants - analysis Atmosphere - chemistry Carbon Monoxide - analysis Geologic Sediments - chemistry Ions Limit of Detection Mass Spectrometry Methane - analysis Natural Gas - analysis Nitrous Oxide - analysis Pennsylvania Time Factors Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis
Limited direct measurements of criteria pollutants emissions and precursors, as well as natural gas constituents, from Marcellus shale gas development activities contribute to uncertainty about their atmospheric impact. Real-time measurements were made with the Aerodyne Research Inc. Mobile Laboratory to characterize emission rates of atmospheric pollutants. Sites investigated include production well pads, a well pad with a drill rig, a well completion, and compressor stations. Tracer release ratio methods were used to estimate emission rates. A first-order correction factor was developed to account for errors introduced by fenceline tracer release. In contrast to observations from other shale plays, elevated volatile organic compounds, other than CH4 and C2H6, were generally not observed at the investigated sites. Elevated submicrometer particle mass concentrations were also generally not observed. Emission rates from compressor stations ranged from 0.006 to 0.162 tons per day (tpd) for NOx, 0.029 to 0.426 tpd for CO, and 67.9 to 371 tpd for CO2. CH4 and C2H6 emission rates from compressor stations ranged from 0.411 to 4.936 tpd and 0.023 to 0.062 tpd, respectively. Although limited in sample size, this study provides emission rate estimates for some processes in a newly developed natural gas resource and contributes valuable comparisons to other shale gas studies.

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47 citations in Web of Science
49 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#14 Life Below Water
#13 Climate Action
#6 Clean Water and Sanitation

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Collaboration types
Industry collaboration
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Engineering, Environmental
Environmental Sciences
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