Combining TROPOMI with high-resolution satellite data to dissect methane point emissions on the West Coast of Turkmenistan

Itziar Irakulis-Loitxate,  Universitat Politècnica de València,  iiraloi@doctor.upv.es (Presenter)
Luis Guanter,  Universitat Politècnica de València,  lguanter@fis.upv.es
Joannes Dyonisius Maasakkers,  SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research,  j.d.maasakkers@sron.nl
Ilse Aben,  SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research,  i.aben@sron.nl
Elena Sánchez-García,  Universitat Politècnica de València,  elsncgar@upv.es
Javier Gorrono,  Universitat Politècnica de València,  jagorvie@upv.es

Recent advances in satellite-based monitoring methods have enabled the detection and quantification of methane (CH4) point emissions. In particular, the combination of TROPOMI regional-scale data with high spatial resolution data from hyperspectral (high detection sensitivity with 30m pixel resolution) and multispectral (high temporal resolution and global coverage with 20m pixel resolution) optical missions creates an ideal framework to detect, quantify and monitor individual CH4 emissions of highly emitting point sources. In this contribution, we illustrate this synergy between the three data types to analyse the emissions from the West Coast of Turkmenistan, one of the largest methane hotspots observed by TROPOMI. In the January 2017-November 2020 period, we have found 29 individual CH4 sources directly linked to the O&G sector, of which 86% are inactive flares that vent gas. Several of them record recent flaring activity that are now venting. In the time period of the study, the Sentinel-2 satellite has detected a total of 944 CH4 plumes with fluxes >1700kg/h, and the ZY1 and PRISMA hyperspectral satellites have quantified 25 plumes with emissions ranging from 1.400 ± 400 kg/h to 19.600 ± 8.100 kg/h. This study shows that the synergy between the different satellites has been able to reveal with precision the origin of large anthropogenic CH4 emitters, which are -likely- easy to fix targets. It has also shown the outstanding strong emissions present over the West Coast of Turkmenistan.

Presentation: Talk_IrakulisLoitxate_71_25.pdf 

Presentation Type: Talk

Session: 3.3 Observations to quantify hot spots and local/urban emissions

Session Date: Wednesday (6/16) 10:15 AM