A Refined Satellite-based Emissions Estimate from Onshore Oil and Gas
Flaring and Venting Activities in the United States and their Impacts on
Air Quality and Health
Abstract
Emissions from flaring and venting (FV) in oil and gas (O&G) production
are difficult to quantify due to their intermittent activities and lack
of adequate monitoring and reporting. Given their potentially
significant contribution to total emissions from O&G sector in the
United States, we estimate emissions from FV using Visible Infrared
Imaging Radiometer Suite satellite observations and state/local reported
data on flared gas volume. These refined estimates are higher than those
reported in the National Emission Inventory: by upto 15 times for fine
particulate matter (PM2.5), two times for sulfur dioxides, and 22%
higher for nitrogen oxides(NOx). Annual average contributions of FV to
ozone (O3), NO2 and PM2.5 in the conterminous U.S. (CONUS) are less than
0.15%, but significant contributions of upto 60% are found in O&G
fields with FV. FV contributions are higher in winter than in summer
months for O3 and PM2.5; an inverse behavior is found for NO2. Nitrate
aerosol contributions to PM2.5 are highest in the Denver basin whereas
in the Permian and Bakken basins, sulfate and elemental carbon aerosols
are the major contributors. Over four simulated months in 2016 for the
entire CONUS, FV contributes 210 additional instances of exceedances to
the daily maximum 8-hour average O3, and has negligible contributions to
exceedance of NO2 and PM2.5 given the current form of the national
ambient air quality standards. FV emissions are found to cause over
$7.4 billion in health damages, 710 premature deaths and 73,000 asthma
exacerbations among children annually.