Atmospheric Chemistry Program Seminar

Separation of NOx emissions from drilling, and oil and gas extraction in the U.S. using monthly data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument by Joep de Bruin
Visiting graduate student, de Gouw lab, CU Boulder

"Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have increased unconventional oil and gas extraction from shale reserves in the US in the last decade, making up half of total US oil and gas production at present. This activity results in NOx emissions in the extraction regions that are measurable from space using the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the NASA Aura satellite. The NOx emissions are a result of two different processes: (1) the drilling and hydraulic fracturing of new wells, and (2) the extraction of oil and gas after the well is completed. To distinguish the effects of drilling and extraction on the NOx emissions, a multiple linear regression to the NO2 columns as a function of time is calculated for 9 extraction regions using the number of drilling rigs and the oil and gas production data from 2007 until 2018. In 3 regions (Permian, Bakken, Eagle Ford) a significant correlation between measured and calculated NO2 columns is found, of which the Permian region shows the highest correlation. The analysis shows that half of the total NOx concentration in this region can be attributed to emissions from oil and gas processes, and that both the drilling and extraction processes have an equal share in these emissions. In other extraction regions, NO2 columns show poor correlation with the oil and gas activity due to the proximity of urban areas (Barnett, Denver-Julesburg regions), power plants (San Juan) or variations in the drilling and extraction activity over time that are too small (Uintah, Upper Green River)."