Understanding high wintertime ozone pollution events in an oil- and natural gas-producing region of the western US
Recent increases in oil and natural gas (NG) production throughout the western US have come with scientific and public interest in emission rates, air quality and climate impacts related to this industry. This study uses a regional-scale air quality model (WRF-Chem) to simulate high ozone (O<sub&...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/411/2015/acp-15-411-2015.pdf |
| _version_ | 1828327063083286528 |
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| author | R. Ahmadov S. McKeen M. Trainer R. Banta A. Brewer S. Brown P. M. Edwards J. A. de Gouw G. J. Frost J. Gilman D. Helmig B. Johnson A. Karion A. Koss A. Langford B. Lerner J. Olson S. Oltmans J. Peischl G. Pétron Y. Pichugina J. M. Roberts T. Ryerson R. Schnell C. Senff C. Sweeney C. Thompson P. R. Veres C. Warneke R. Wild E. J. Williams B. Yuan R. Zamora |
| author_facet | R. Ahmadov S. McKeen M. Trainer R. Banta A. Brewer S. Brown P. M. Edwards J. A. de Gouw G. J. Frost J. Gilman D. Helmig B. Johnson A. Karion A. Koss A. Langford B. Lerner J. Olson S. Oltmans J. Peischl G. Pétron Y. Pichugina J. M. Roberts T. Ryerson R. Schnell C. Senff C. Sweeney C. Thompson P. R. Veres C. Warneke R. Wild E. J. Williams B. Yuan R. Zamora |
| author_sort | R. Ahmadov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent increases in oil and natural gas (NG) production throughout the
western US have come with scientific and public interest in emission rates,
air quality and climate impacts related to this industry. This study uses a
regional-scale air quality model (WRF-Chem) to simulate high ozone (O<sub>3</sub>)
episodes during the winter of 2013 over the Uinta Basin (UB) in northeastern
Utah, which is densely populated by thousands of oil and NG wells. The
high-resolution meteorological simulations are able qualitatively to
reproduce the wintertime cold pool conditions that occurred in 2013, allowing
the model to reproduce the observed multi-day buildup of atmospheric
pollutants and the accompanying rapid photochemical ozone formation in the
UB.
<br><br>
Two different emission scenarios for the oil and NG sector were employed in
this study. The first emission scenario (bottom-up) was based on the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emission Inventory (NEI)
(2011, version 1) for the oil and NG sector for the UB. The second emission
scenario (top-down) was based on estimates of methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emissions
derived from in situ aircraft measurements and a regression analysis for
multiple species relative to CH<sub>4</sub> concentration measurements in the UB.
Evaluation of the model results shows greater underestimates of CH<sub>4</sub> and
other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the simulation with the NEI-2011
inventory than in the case when the top-down emission scenario was used.
Unlike VOCs, the NEI-2011 inventory significantly overestimates the emissions
of nitrogen oxides (NO<sub>x</sub>), while the top-down emission scenario
results in a moderate negative bias. The model simulation using the top-down
emission case captures the buildup and afternoon peaks observed during high
O<sub>3</sub> episodes. In contrast, the simulation using the bottom-up inventory
is not able to reproduce any of the observed high O<sub>3</sub> concentrations in
the UB. Simple emission reduction scenarios show that O<sub>3</sub> production is
VOC sensitive and NO<sub>x</sub> insensitive within the UB. The model results
show a disproportionate contribution of aromatic VOCs to O<sub>3</sub> formation
relative to all other VOC emissions. The model analysis reveals that the
major factors driving high wintertime O<sub>3</sub> in the UB are shallow
boundary layers with light winds, high emissions of VOCs from oil and NG
operations compared to NO<sub>x</sub> emissions, enhancement of photolysis
fluxes and reduction of O<sub>3</sub> loss from deposition due to snow cover. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:49:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9eb42304a3f846e29a810c81e980461c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:49:25Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-9eb42304a3f846e29a810c81e980461c2022-12-22T02:32:36ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242015-01-0115141142910.5194/acp-15-411-2015Understanding high wintertime ozone pollution events in an oil- and natural gas-producing region of the western USR. Ahmadov0S. McKeen1M. Trainer2R. Banta3A. Brewer4S. Brown5P. M. Edwards6J. A. de Gouw7G. J. Frost8J. Gilman9D. Helmig10B. Johnson11A. Karion12A. Koss13A. Langford14B. Lerner15J. Olson16S. Oltmans17J. Peischl18G. Pétron19Y. Pichugina20J. M. Roberts21T. Ryerson22R. Schnell23C. Senff24C. Sweeney25C. Thompson26P. R. Veres27C. Warneke28R. Wild29E. J. Williams30B. Yuan31R. Zamora32Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USAInstitute for Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USAInstitute for Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USARecent increases in oil and natural gas (NG) production throughout the western US have come with scientific and public interest in emission rates, air quality and climate impacts related to this industry. This study uses a regional-scale air quality model (WRF-Chem) to simulate high ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) episodes during the winter of 2013 over the Uinta Basin (UB) in northeastern Utah, which is densely populated by thousands of oil and NG wells. The high-resolution meteorological simulations are able qualitatively to reproduce the wintertime cold pool conditions that occurred in 2013, allowing the model to reproduce the observed multi-day buildup of atmospheric pollutants and the accompanying rapid photochemical ozone formation in the UB. <br><br> Two different emission scenarios for the oil and NG sector were employed in this study. The first emission scenario (bottom-up) was based on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emission Inventory (NEI) (2011, version 1) for the oil and NG sector for the UB. The second emission scenario (top-down) was based on estimates of methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emissions derived from in situ aircraft measurements and a regression analysis for multiple species relative to CH<sub>4</sub> concentration measurements in the UB. Evaluation of the model results shows greater underestimates of CH<sub>4</sub> and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the simulation with the NEI-2011 inventory than in the case when the top-down emission scenario was used. Unlike VOCs, the NEI-2011 inventory significantly overestimates the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO<sub>x</sub>), while the top-down emission scenario results in a moderate negative bias. The model simulation using the top-down emission case captures the buildup and afternoon peaks observed during high O<sub>3</sub> episodes. In contrast, the simulation using the bottom-up inventory is not able to reproduce any of the observed high O<sub>3</sub> concentrations in the UB. Simple emission reduction scenarios show that O<sub>3</sub> production is VOC sensitive and NO<sub>x</sub> insensitive within the UB. The model results show a disproportionate contribution of aromatic VOCs to O<sub>3</sub> formation relative to all other VOC emissions. The model analysis reveals that the major factors driving high wintertime O<sub>3</sub> in the UB are shallow boundary layers with light winds, high emissions of VOCs from oil and NG operations compared to NO<sub>x</sub> emissions, enhancement of photolysis fluxes and reduction of O<sub>3</sub> loss from deposition due to snow cover.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/411/2015/acp-15-411-2015.pdf |
| spellingShingle | R. Ahmadov S. McKeen M. Trainer R. Banta A. Brewer S. Brown P. M. Edwards J. A. de Gouw G. J. Frost J. Gilman D. Helmig B. Johnson A. Karion A. Koss A. Langford B. Lerner J. Olson S. Oltmans J. Peischl G. Pétron Y. Pichugina J. M. Roberts T. Ryerson R. Schnell C. Senff C. Sweeney C. Thompson P. R. Veres C. Warneke R. Wild E. J. Williams B. Yuan R. Zamora Understanding high wintertime ozone pollution events in an oil- and natural gas-producing region of the western US Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Understanding high wintertime ozone pollution events in an oil- and natural gas-producing region of the western US |
| title_full | Understanding high wintertime ozone pollution events in an oil- and natural gas-producing region of the western US |
| title_fullStr | Understanding high wintertime ozone pollution events in an oil- and natural gas-producing region of the western US |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding high wintertime ozone pollution events in an oil- and natural gas-producing region of the western US |
| title_short | Understanding high wintertime ozone pollution events in an oil- and natural gas-producing region of the western US |
| title_sort | understanding high wintertime ozone pollution events in an oil and natural gas producing region of the western us |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/411/2015/acp-15-411-2015.pdf |
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