Fugitive gas emissions
Type of pollution from oil and natural gas drilling and coal mining / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Fugitive gas emissions are emissions of gas (typically natural gas, which contains methane) to atmosphere or groundwater[1] which result from oil and gas or coal mining activity.[2] In 2016, these emissions, when converted to their equivalent impact of carbon dioxide, accounted for 5.8% of all global greenhouse gas emissions.[2]
Most fugitive emissions are the result of loss of well integrity through poorly sealed well casings due to geochemically unstable cement.[3] This allows gas to escape through the well itself (known as surface casing vent flow) or via lateral migration along adjacent geological formations (known as gas migration).[3] Approximately 1-3% of methane leakage cases in unconventional oil and gas wells are caused by imperfect seals and deteriorating cement in wellbores.[3] Some leaks are also the result of leaks in equipment, intentional pressure release practices, or accidental releases during normal transportation, storage, and distribution activities.[4][5][6]
Emissions can be measured using either ground-based or airborne techniques.[3][4][7] In Canada, the oil and gas industry is thought to be the largest source of greenhouse gas and methane emissions,[8] and approximately 40% of Canada's emissions originate from Alberta.[5] Emissions are largely self-reported by companies. The Alberta Energy Regulator keeps a database on wells releasing fugitive gas emissions in Alberta,[9] and the British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission keeps a database of leaky wells in British Columbia. Testing wells at the time of drilling was not required in British Columbia until 2010, and since then 19% of new wells have reported leakage problems. This number may be a low estimate, as suggested by fieldwork completed by the David Suzuki Foundation.[1] Some studies have shown a range of 6-30% of wells suffer gas leakage.[7][9][10][11]
Canada and Alberta have plans for policies to reduce emissions, which may help combat climate change.[12][13] Costs related to reducing emissions are very location-dependent and can vary widely.[14] Methane has a greater global warming impact than carbon dioxide, as its radiative force is 120, 86 and 34 times that of carbon dioxide, when considering a 1, 20 and 100 year time frame (including Climate Carbon Feedback [15] [16][9] Additionally, it leads to increases in carbon dioxide concentration through its oxidation by water vapor.[17]