Satellite NO2 Trends and Hotspots Over Offshore Oil and Gas Operations in the Gulf of Mexico
Abstract The Outer Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is populated with numerous oil and natural gas (ONG) platforms which produce NOx (NOx = NO + NO2), a major component of air pollution. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is mandated to ensure that the air quality of coastal s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Earth and Space Science |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA003165 |
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| author | Niko M. Fedkin Ryan M. Stauffer Anne M. Thompson Debra E. Kollonige Holli D. Wecht Nellie Elguindi |
| author_facet | Niko M. Fedkin Ryan M. Stauffer Anne M. Thompson Debra E. Kollonige Holli D. Wecht Nellie Elguindi |
| author_sort | Niko M. Fedkin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Outer Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is populated with numerous oil and natural gas (ONG) platforms which produce NOx (NOx = NO + NO2), a major component of air pollution. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is mandated to ensure that the air quality of coastal states is not degraded by these emissions. As part of a NASA‐BOEM collaboration, we conducted a satellite data‐based analysis of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) patterns and trends in the GOM. Data from the OMI and TROPOMI sensors were used to obtain 18+ year records of tropospheric column (TrC) NO2 in three GOM regions: (a) Houston urban area, (b) near shore area off the Louisiana coast, and a (c) deepwater area off the Louisiana coast. The 2004–2022 time series show a decreasing trend for the urban (−0.027 DU/decade) and near shore (−0.0022 DU/decade) areas, and an increasing trend (0.0019 DU/decade) for the deepwater area. MERRA‐2 wind and TROPOMI NO2 data were used to reveal several NO2 hotspots (up to 25% above background values) under calm wind conditions near individual platforms. The NO2 signals from these deepwater platforms and the high density of shallow water platforms closer to shore were confirmed by TrC NO2 anomalies of up to 10%, taking into account the monthly TrC NO2 climatology over the GOM. The results presented in this study establish a baseline for future estimates of emissions from the ONG hotspots and provide a methodology for analyzing NO2 measurements from the new geostationary TEMPO instrument. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T12:13:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8c50b869c49e4ef6989b83f7fef15d4e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2333-5084 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T12:13:44Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth and Space Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-8c50b869c49e4ef6989b83f7fef15d4e2024-04-08T08:47:01ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)Earth and Space Science2333-50842024-03-01113n/an/a10.1029/2023EA003165Satellite NO2 Trends and Hotspots Over Offshore Oil and Gas Operations in the Gulf of MexicoNiko M. Fedkin0Ryan M. Stauffer1Anne M. Thompson2Debra E. Kollonige3Holli D. Wecht4Nellie Elguindi5Earth Sciences Division NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USAEarth Sciences Division NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USAEarth Sciences Division NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USAEarth Sciences Division NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USABureau of Ocean Energy Management Office of Environmental Programs Sterling VA USABureau of Ocean Energy Management Office of Environmental Programs Sterling VA USAAbstract The Outer Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is populated with numerous oil and natural gas (ONG) platforms which produce NOx (NOx = NO + NO2), a major component of air pollution. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is mandated to ensure that the air quality of coastal states is not degraded by these emissions. As part of a NASA‐BOEM collaboration, we conducted a satellite data‐based analysis of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) patterns and trends in the GOM. Data from the OMI and TROPOMI sensors were used to obtain 18+ year records of tropospheric column (TrC) NO2 in three GOM regions: (a) Houston urban area, (b) near shore area off the Louisiana coast, and a (c) deepwater area off the Louisiana coast. The 2004–2022 time series show a decreasing trend for the urban (−0.027 DU/decade) and near shore (−0.0022 DU/decade) areas, and an increasing trend (0.0019 DU/decade) for the deepwater area. MERRA‐2 wind and TROPOMI NO2 data were used to reveal several NO2 hotspots (up to 25% above background values) under calm wind conditions near individual platforms. The NO2 signals from these deepwater platforms and the high density of shallow water platforms closer to shore were confirmed by TrC NO2 anomalies of up to 10%, taking into account the monthly TrC NO2 climatology over the GOM. The results presented in this study establish a baseline for future estimates of emissions from the ONG hotspots and provide a methodology for analyzing NO2 measurements from the new geostationary TEMPO instrument.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA003165Gulf of Mexicooil and natural gasTROPOMIpollutionOMINO2 |
| spellingShingle | Niko M. Fedkin Ryan M. Stauffer Anne M. Thompson Debra E. Kollonige Holli D. Wecht Nellie Elguindi Satellite NO2 Trends and Hotspots Over Offshore Oil and Gas Operations in the Gulf of Mexico Earth and Space Science Gulf of Mexico oil and natural gas TROPOMI pollution OMI NO2 |
| title | Satellite NO2 Trends and Hotspots Over Offshore Oil and Gas Operations in the Gulf of Mexico |
| title_full | Satellite NO2 Trends and Hotspots Over Offshore Oil and Gas Operations in the Gulf of Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Satellite NO2 Trends and Hotspots Over Offshore Oil and Gas Operations in the Gulf of Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Satellite NO2 Trends and Hotspots Over Offshore Oil and Gas Operations in the Gulf of Mexico |
| title_short | Satellite NO2 Trends and Hotspots Over Offshore Oil and Gas Operations in the Gulf of Mexico |
| title_sort | satellite no2 trends and hotspots over offshore oil and gas operations in the gulf of mexico |
| topic | Gulf of Mexico oil and natural gas TROPOMI pollution OMI NO2 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA003165 |
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