Regional ozone impacts of increased natural gas use in the Texas power sector and development in the Eagle Ford shale.
The combined emissions and air quality impacts of electricity generation in the Texas grid and natural gas production in the Eagle Ford shale were estimated at various natural gas price points for the power sector. The increased use of natural gas in the power sector, in place of coal-fired power generation, drove reductions in average daily maximum 8 h ozone concentration of 0.6-1.3 ppb in northeastern Texas for a high ozone episode used in air quality planning. The associated increase in Eagle Ford upstream oil and gas production nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions caused an estimated local increase, in south Texas, of 0.3-0.7 ppb in the same ozone metric. In addition, the potential ozone impacts of Eagle Ford emissions on nearby urban areas were estimated. On the basis of evidence from this work and a previous study on the Barnett shale, the combined ozone impact of increased natural gas development and use in the power sector is likely to vary regionally and must be analyzed on a case by case basis.
Center for Energy and Environmental Resources, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas 78758, United States.
Adam P
AP
Pacsi
Center for Energy and Environmental Resources, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas 78758, United States.
Yosuke
Y
Kimura
Center for Energy and Environmental Resources, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas 78758, United States.
Gary
G
McGaughey
Center for Energy and Environmental Resources, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas 78758, United States.
Elena C
EC
McDonald-Buller
Center for Energy and Environmental Resources, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas 78758, United States.
David T
DT
Allen
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D059206:Natural Gas / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000032:analysis; D000066388:Oil and Gas Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis*; D011210:Power Plants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013781:Texas
D000393:Air Pollutants; D059206:Natural Gas; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D010126:Ozone