A determination of the CH₄, NO _x and CO₂ emissions from the Prudhoe Bay, Alaska oil development

Abstract

In this paper we quantify the CH₄, CO₂ and NO _x emissions during routine operations at a major oil and gas production facility, Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, using the concentrations of combustion by products measured at the NOAA-CMDL observatory at Barrow, Alaska and fuel consumption data from Prudhoe Bay. During the 1989 and 1990 measurement campaigns, 10 periods (called ‘events’) were unambiguously identified where surface winds carry the Prudhoe Bay emissions to Barrow (approximately 300 km). The events ranged in duration from 8–48 h and bring ambient air masses containing substantially elevated concentrations of CH₄, CO₂ and NO _y to Barrow. Using the slope of the observed CH₄ vs CO₂ concentrations during the events and the CO₂ emissions based on reported fuel consumption data, we calculate annual CH₄ emissions of (24+/−8)×10³ metric tons from the facility. In a similar manner, the annual NO _x emissions are calculated to be (12+/−4)×10³ metric tons, which is in agreement with an independently determined value. The calculated CH₄ emissions represent the amount released during routine operations including leakage. However this quantity would not include CH₄ released during non-routine operations, such as from venting or gas flaring.