ARB Perspective on Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Elizabeth Scheehle June 1, 2015
Dec 13, 2015
ARB Perspective on Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas
Elizabeth ScheehleJune 1, 2015
Outline
• Why is it important?• What can be done?• What are we doing?– California– Life-cycle
• What research is ARB conducting?• What is our plan going forward?
Why are Methane Emissions from the Oil and Gas Sector Important?
• Short Lived Climate Pollutant Strategy
• Technology Assessment
• Low Carbon Fuel Standard
• Governor’s Goal on Home Heating
California Methane Emissions - 2013
100 year GWP 20 year GWP
National Oil and Gas Emissions and Leakage
• Leakage estimates vary depending on methodology used. – Generally 1-3% with
some outlier estimations
• LCFS: GREET estimate of 1.15% – Based on EPA
emissions adjusted for combustion and distribution
US Natural Gas Methane Emissions (Total = 157.4 MMTCO2e)
Production Processing Transmission Distribution
US Petroleum Methane Emissions(Total = 25.2 MMTCO2e)
Production Transport Refininghttp://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/lcfs/lcfs_meetings/040315presentation.pdf
What can be done?
Source: Economic Analysis of Methane EmissionReduction Opportunities in the U.S. Onshore Oil and NaturalGas Industries
What is ARB doing to reduce Methane Emissions in California
• Oil and Gas Production, Processing, Storage, and Transmission (Compressor Stations)
• Working with CPUC on transmission and distribution pipelines
• But 80-90% of NG and Majority of Crude Oil from Out of State– National Actions Important
8
15%
36%
39%
10%
Source: CEC, Energy Almanac, 2014
Thoughts on Methane Leakage• Emissions to the atmosphere are important, leakage is but one metric to look
at this
• Leakage must be compared on an apples to apples basis and apportioned appropriately
• Super-emitters are noted in recent studies
• Recent meta-analysis suggests emissions underestimated, recent bottom-up studies are varied.
• Research is ongoing and understanding evolving quickly
• Need additional study to resolve discrepancies.
What Research is ARB doing?
Research CollaboratorsSatellite
Measurements(700 km)
Aerial Measurements
(<1 km)
Ground-level Measurements
NASA
CIRPASJPL
NOAA
MobileLBNL
PicarroUC Irvine
TowersARB, Caltech LBNL, LLNL
Scripps
LaboratoryCaltechNOAA
UC Irvine
Remote SensingCaltech
JPL
Field StudiesUC Berkeley
UC DavisOther UCs
CEC11
ARB Ongoing Process
• Complete regulatory processes
• Continue public process on life-cycle methane from Oil and Gas
• Encourage national level actions