Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field
Methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) 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...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2018-03-01
|
| Series: | Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| Online Access: | https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/11/1689/2018/amt-11-1689-2018.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818115004370518016 |
|---|---|
| author | I. Leifer C. Melton M. L. Fischer M. Fladeland J. Frash W. Gore L. T. Iraci J. E. Marrero J.-M. Ryoo T. Tanaka E. L. Yates |
| author_facet | I. Leifer C. Melton M. L. Fischer M. Fladeland J. Frash W. Gore L. T. Iraci J. E. Marrero J.-M. Ryoo T. Tanaka E. L. Yates |
| author_sort | I. Leifer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) 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.
<br><br>
In situ airborne (collected by AJAX – the Alpha Jet Atmospheric
eXperiment) and mobile surface (collected by AMOG – the AutoMObile trace Gas
– Surveyor) data were collected on 19 August 2015 to assess source strength.
Data included an AMOG and AJAX intercomparison transect profiling from the
San Joaquin Valley (SJV) floor into the Sierra Nevada (0.1–2.2 km
altitude), validating a novel surface approach for atmospheric profiling by
leveraging topography. The profile intercomparison found good agreement in
multiple parameters for the overlapping altitude range from 500 to 1500 m
for the upper 5 % of surface winds, which accounts for wind-impeding
structures, i.e., terrain, trees, buildings, etc. Annualized emissions from
the active oil fields were 31.3 ± 16 Gg methane and
2.4 ± 1.2 Tg carbon dioxide. Data showed the PBL was not well mixed at
distances of 10–20 km downwind, highlighting the importance of the
experimental design. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T03:59:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35f0281e3e0a4401bc371ffc8be8724b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1867-1381 1867-8548 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T03:59:43Z |
| publishDate | 2018-03-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| spelling | doaj.art-35f0281e3e0a4401bc371ffc8be8724b2022-12-22T01:21:41ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques1867-13811867-85482018-03-01111689170510.5194/amt-11-1689-2018Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil fieldI. Leifer0C. Melton1M. L. Fischer2M. Fladeland3J. Frash4W. Gore5L. T. Iraci6J. E. Marrero7J.-M. Ryoo8T. Tanaka9E. L. Yates10Bubbleology Research International, Solvang, CA 93463, USABubbleology Research International, Solvang, CA 93463, USALawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USANASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USABubbleology Research International, Solvang, CA 93463, USANASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USANASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USANASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USANASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USANASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USANASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USAMethane (CH<sub>4</sub>) 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. <br><br> In situ airborne (collected by AJAX – the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment) and mobile surface (collected by AMOG – the AutoMObile trace Gas – Surveyor) data were collected on 19 August 2015 to assess source strength. Data included an AMOG and AJAX intercomparison transect profiling from the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) floor into the Sierra Nevada (0.1–2.2 km altitude), validating a novel surface approach for atmospheric profiling by leveraging topography. The profile intercomparison found good agreement in multiple parameters for the overlapping altitude range from 500 to 1500 m for the upper 5 % of surface winds, which accounts for wind-impeding structures, i.e., terrain, trees, buildings, etc. Annualized emissions from the active oil fields were 31.3 ± 16 Gg methane and 2.4 ± 1.2 Tg carbon dioxide. Data showed the PBL was not well mixed at distances of 10–20 km downwind, highlighting the importance of the experimental design.https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/11/1689/2018/amt-11-1689-2018.pdf |
| spellingShingle | I. Leifer C. Melton M. L. Fischer M. Fladeland J. Frash W. Gore L. T. Iraci J. E. Marrero J.-M. Ryoo T. Tanaka E. L. Yates Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field Atmospheric Measurement Techniques |
| title | Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field |
| title_full | Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field |
| title_fullStr | Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field |
| title_full_unstemmed | Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field |
| title_short | Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field |
| title_sort | atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field |
| url | https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/11/1689/2018/amt-11-1689-2018.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ileifer atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT cmelton atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT mlfischer atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT mfladeland atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT jfrash atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT wgore atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT ltiraci atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT jemarrero atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT jmryoo atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT ttanaka atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield AT elyates atmosphericcharacterizationthroughfusedmobileairborneandsurfaceinsitusurveysmethaneemissionsquantificationfromaproducingoilfield |