Inter-comparison of Direct Quantification and Areal Micrometeorological Methods to Investigate the Transport and Fate of Methane from Heterogeneous Sources in Natural Gas Fields

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The use of natural gas is increasing worldwide. Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a highly potent greenhouse gas (GHG) that contributes to climatic changes. Recent research suggests that methane can be released from natural gas fields, but large uncertainties in these data do not allow accurate quantification of the amount. The proposed research will reduce this uncertainty and advance knowledge in measurement methods and modeling tools for the quantification of methane emissions in natural gas fields. The project will support graduate and undergraduate researcher from underrepresented engineering students in rural Appalachia, addressing societal needs for broadening participation in science and engineering. If successful, the results of this research will help protect the Nation's energy security by potentially influencing regulatory activities and improving the efficiency of natural gas production.Due to maturation of technologies such as directional drilling and enhanced recovery, natural gas production continues to grow in the U.S. However, the magnitude and fate of leaking methane emissions from natural gas fields remain highly uncertain and unresolved. Recent studies show significant variations in methane losses, from less than 1% to 17% of the total natural gas produced. These large variations are generally attributed to uncertainty in top-down (indirect aerial fluxes or downwind measurements) and bottom-up (direct component level measurements and emissions factors) estimates, which include measurement uncertainty and a general lack of high fidelity data sets. The goal of this research is to reduce these uncertainties by collecting and analyzing temporal top-down measurements of methane fluxes and environmental variables based on eddy-covariance flux techniques and Gaussian plume measurements in concert with direct bottom-up measurements. This research will employ advanced data analytics using empirical models and artificial intelligence to improve the mechanistic understanding of methane emissions in natural gas fields across West Virginia and the greater Appalachian region. Accurate quantification with indirect measurement techniques would decrease the need for the labor-intensive leak detection schemes currently employed. The research findings will be broadly disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. The researchers will leverage industrial collaborations at the Marcellus Shale Energy and Environmental Laboratory (MSEEL) in Morgantown, WV, to communicate the research outcomes. The research group will also work with the West Virginia University Energy Institute to develop outreach materials and conduct seminars in the Marcellus region.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.