| Abstract | Quantification of regional emissions resulting from natural gas extraction activities is critical in terms of determining the climate effects of natural gas usage compared to coal. The leakage rate is not well known, and has large implications for the greenhouse
impact of this energy source. Towards that end data were collected at four towers in the Marcellus Shale gas region, with a tower
south of the primary natural gas extraction region serving as a background site. Cavity ring down spectrometer (CRDS, Picarro, Inc,
G2132-i) measurements of CH4 and CO2 mole fractions, and the isotopic ratio of CH4, were collected at these tower sites at heights
of between 46 and 61 m above ground level. The time period of the dataset is May 2017 - February 2017. The sample air stream was d
ried using a Nafion dryer. The laboratory and field calibration technique was described in Miles et al., (Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 1
273-1295, doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-1273-2018, 2018). Flask to in-situ comparisons indicated mean differences of 2+-2 ppb CH4, 0.2+-0.
4 ppm CO2, and 0.0+-0.4 permil at the South tower. Ten-minute averages were reported here, with the minimum and maximum time includ
ed in the average indicated. |
