UAV-Based Measurements of Methane Emissions from Two Electrically-Driven Natural Gas Compressor Stations in China

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Atmospheric Chemistry
• Energy Systems Engineering

Background:

• Compressor stations are key methane (CH4) emitters in natural gas infrastructure.
• Quantitative top-down assessments of CH4 emissions from Chinese compressor stations are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess CH4 emissions from natural gas compressor stations in China.
• To develop and validate a methodology for measuring these emissions.
• To identify factors influencing CH4 emission rates.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based measurements.
• Employed a mass balance computation algorithm for emission estimation.
• Conducted controlled-release experiments for methodology validation.

Main Results:

• Validated UAV-based methodology with -10% to +4% deviation.
• Measured geometric mean CH4 emission rates of 6.47 kg/h and 8.61 kg/h.
• Found positive correlations between CH4 emissions, natural gas throughput, and compressor speed.

Conclusions:

• Methane emissions from compressor stations exhibit significant daily variability.
• Natural gas throughput and compressor speed are reliable indicators of CH4 emission levels.
• Further studies across more stations are needed for representative Chinese emission factors.