NO₂ emissions from oil refineries in the Mississippi Delta

Of the >17,943 thousand barrels per calendar day (bbl/d) of oil refining capacity located in the US, the Petroleum Administration for Defense District 3 (PADD-3) region has the largest number of refineries and accounts for >53 % (or 9607 tbbl/d) of all US oil refining capacity. Processing facilities in this area are mainly located on the Gulf of Mexico coast in Texas and Louisiana. This study selected a sub-region for analysis within the Mississippi River delta in the state of Louisiana between the cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge. This region is characterized by intensive industrial activity connected with oil refining and related activities. The TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) detected highly localized NO₂ vertical column densities (VCDs) over the two largest US refineries in Baton Rouge (503,000 bbl/d) and Garyville (578,000 bbl/d). TROPOMI NO₂ VCD over these stations were 100 μmol/m² and 80 μmol/m², respectively. A high correlation coefficient (r = 0.65, p < 0.05) was also found between TROPOMI NO₂ and population density. Data from the National Emissions Inventory (NEI) showed high NO_x emissions from refineries and other industries including coal-fired power generation, chemical, and aluminum processing plants. The results of the NO₂ analysis are of practical interest for a comparative assessment of air pollution, as well as for the exchange of best practices in the field of low-waste fuel combustion technologies.