New study published of Oil Field emissions

Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field

Ira Leifer1, Christopher Melton1, Marc L. Fischer2, Matthew Fladeland3, Jason Frash1, Warren Gore3, Laura T. Iraci3, Josette E. Marrero3, Ju-Mee Ryoo3, Tomoaki Tanaka3, and Emma L. Yates3
1Bubbleology Research International, Solvang, CA 93463, USA
2Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
3NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA

Received: 27 Apr 2017 – Discussion started: 01 Jun 2017
Revised: 15 Dec 2017 – Accepted: 09 Jan 2018 – Published: 27 Mar 2018

Abstract. Methane (CH4) inventory uncertainties are large, requiring robust emission derivation approaches. We report on a fused airborne–surface data collection approach to derive emissions from an active oil field near Bakersfield, central California. The approach characterizes the atmosphere from the surface to above the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and combines downwind trace gas concentration anomaly (plume) above background with normal winds to derive flux. This approach does not require a well-mixed PBL; allows explicit, data-based, uncertainty evaluation; and was applied to complex topography and wind flows.

Read the rest of this entry at: https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/11/1689/2018/