National Estimate of Methane Emissions from Compressors in the U.S. Natural GasIndustry

摘要

The paper discusses a cofunded Gas Research Institute/EPA program to evaluatemethane emissions from the natural gas industry in the U.S. The program consists of an emission testing program and an engineering assessment program for the major methane emission sources within the natural gas industry. One methane emission source is reciprocating engines and turbines that are used to drive compressors in the natural gas industry. In the study, the evaluation of methane emissions from the natural gas industry had a target uncertainty of 2,841 million standard cubic meters (100 billion standard cubic feet). Although compressors are still a significant source of methane emissions, estimates reduces the importance of compressors in the assessment of the natural gas industry's contribution to global warming.