Satellites can spot methane emissions from individual wells

Satellite photo over the Permian Basin in New Mexico on Dec. 24
shows methane escaping from an APA Corp. facility. Bloomberg News
gave the photo to APA, which reported the emission to state regulators.

Satellite images of methane emissions from oil and gas production have become so detalied that the emissions can now be attributed to individual wells and other assets, Bloomberg's Aaron Clark reports.

There are three such satellites in orbit now, and at least 24 "are expected to be in orbit by the end of this year, quietly tracking the super pollutant that’s invisible to the naked eye," Clark reports. "Their sensors are able to detect the natural gas component as it spews from pipelines, unlit flares, storage tanks and compressor stations around the world. The images sent back are crystal clear and leave little doubt about who is responsible for leaks. . . . Much of the demand for the data is coming from oil and gas operators themselves, who are increasingly using the systems to identify leaks along thousands of miles of pipeline or remote facilities. . . . The detections are also empowering regulators and the public. New Mexico officials said in March they were inspecting any methane plumes detected by NASA and other entities and would use the data to evaluate reporting and compliance by operators."

While carbon dioxide is the main contributor to global warming because it lasts up to 200 years in the atmposphere, "Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide during its first two decades in the atmosphere," Clark notes. "Halting emissions of the greenhouse gas could do more to slow climate change in the near term than almost any other single measure."