Journal article
Land Use Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Conventional Oil Production and Oil Sands
Environmental science & technology, v 44(22), pp 8766-8772
15 Nov 2010
PMID: 20949948
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Debates surrounding the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from land use of biofuels production have created a need to quantify the relative land use GHG intensity of fossil fuels. When contrasting land use GHG intensity of fossil fuel and biofuel production, it is the energy yield that greatly distinguishes the two. Although emissions released from land disturbed by fossil fuels can be comparable or higher than biofuels, the energy yield of oil production is typically 2-3 orders of magnitude higher, (0.33-2.6,0.61-1.2, and 2.2-5.1 PJ/ha) for conventional oil production, oil sands surface mining, and in situ production, respectively). We found that land use contributes small portions of GHGs to lifecycle emissions of California crude and in situ oil sands production (<0.4% or <0.4 gCO(2)e/MJ crude refinery feedstock) and small to modest portions for Alberta conventional oil (0.1-4% or 0.1-3.4 gCO(2)e/MJ) and surface mining of oil sands (0.9-11% or 0.8-10.2 gCO(2)e/MJ). Our estimates are based on assumptions aggregated over large spatial and temporal scales and assuming 100% reclamation. Values on finer spatial and temporal scales that are relevant to policy targets need to account for site-specific information, the baseline natural and anthropogenic disturbance.
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Details
- Title
- Land Use Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Conventional Oil Production and Oil Sands
- Creators
- Sonia Yeh - University of California, DavisSarah M. Jordaan - Energy and Environmental Systems Group, Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy; University of Calgary; Calgary, Alberta CanadaAdam R. Brandt - Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CaliforniaMerritt R. Turetsky - University of GuelphSabrina Spatari - Drexel UniversityDavid W. Keith - Energy and Environmental Systems Group, Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy; University of Calgary; Calgary, Alberta Canada
- Publication Details
- Environmental science & technology, v 44(22), pp 8766-8772
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society; Washington, DC
- Number of pages
- 7
- Grant note
- Energy Foundation David and Lucile Packard Foundation; The David & Lucile Packard Foundation California Air Resources Board
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000284248300064
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-78449256908
- Other Identifier
- 991019167963504721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Engineering, Environmental
- Environmental Sciences