Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Design and Use of a Full Flow Sampling System FFS for the Quantification of Methane Emissions
Published on: June 12, 2016
Source Attribution of Elevated Ethane Concentrations Detected by Regional Monitors in Oil and Gas Production Regions
Joel D Graves1, Yosuke Kimura1, Mrinali Modi1
1Center for Energy and Environmental Systems Analyses, University of Texas at Austin, 3925 West Braker Lane, Austin, Texas 78759, United States.
Abstract:
Measurements of ambient ethane concentrations at a regional air quality monitor in the Eagle Ford oil and gas production region are compared to concentrations predicted using site-level hydrocarbon emission inventories coupled with a Gaussian puff dispersion model (CALPUFF). To account for more than half of mean concentrations due to routine emissions, sites at distances 20-50 km from the receptor site were included in the simulations. Nearly all of the highest observed concentrations were observed at night. For each night in the simulation, the location and magnitude of the maximum predicted concentration and maximum observed concentration were compared, and approximately two-thirds of the highest observed nighttime maximum concentrations were accounted for by routine emissions. In contrast, approximately a third of the highest daytime maxima could be accounted for by routine emissions. Most of the large observed maxima that are attributable to routine emissions are predicted to be caused by sources that were within 10 km of the receptor site, but sources up to 20 or more kilometers from the receptor also contributed to the predicted concentrations. A case study is provided demonstrating the potential of coupling site-level inventories of routine emissions with dispersion modeling for attributing sources of elevated hydrocarbon concentrations.
Related Concept Videos
Inductive Effects on Chemical Shift: Overview
Mass Spectrometry: Branched Alkane Fragmentation
Conformations of Ethane and Propane
Staggered conformation is a low energy and more stable conformation with the C-H bonds on the front carbon placed at 60°dihedral angles relative to the C-H bonds on the back carbon, leading to a reduced torsional strain. In staggered...
Mass Spectrum
NMR Spectroscopy of Benzene Derivatives
Mass Spectrometry: Long-Chain Alkane Fragmentation

