title: Atmospheric emission characterization of Marcellus shale natural gas development sites.
abstract: Limited direct measurements of criteria pollutants emissions and precursors, as well as natural gas constituents, from Marcellus shale gas development activities contribute to uncertainty about their atmospheric impact. Real-time measurements were made with the Aerodyne Research Inc. Mobile Laboratory to characterize emission rates of atmospheric pollutants. Sites investigated include production well pads, a well pad with a drill rig, a well completion, and compressor stations. Tracer release ratio methods were used to estimate emission rates. A first-order correction factor was developed to account for errors introduced by fenceline tracer release. In contrast to observations from other shale plays, elevated volatile organic compounds, other than CH4 and C2H6, were generally not observed at the investigated sites. Elevated submicrometer particle mass concentrations were also generally not observed. Emission rates from compressor stations ranged from 0.006 to 0.162 tons per day (tpd) for NOx, 0.029 to 0.426 tpd for CO, and 67.9 to 371 tpd for CO2. CH4 and C2H6 emission rates from compressor stations ranged from 0.411 to 4.936 tpd and 0.023 to 0.062 tpd, respectively. Although limited in sample size, this study provides emission rate estimates for some processes in a newly developed natural gas resource and contributes valuable comparisons to other shale gas studies.
authors.affiliation: †Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.
authors.forename: J Douglas
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.affiliation: ‡Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States.
authors.forename: Cody
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Floerchinger
authors.affiliation: ‡Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States.
authors.forename: Edward C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Fortner
authors.affiliation: ‡Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States.
authors.forename: Joda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wormhoudt
authors.affiliation: ‡Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Massoli
authors.affiliation: §Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, United States.
authors.forename: W Berk
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Knighton
authors.affiliation: ‡Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States.
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Herndon
authors.affiliation: ‡Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States.
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kolb
authors.affiliation: ∥Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, California 94304, United States.
authors.forename: Eladio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Knipping
authors.affiliation: ∥Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, California 94304, United States.
authors.forename: Stephanie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: †Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.|⊥Department of Chemistry, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.
authors.forename: Peter F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: DeCarlo
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007477:Ions; D057230:Limit of Detection; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis; D059206:Natural Gas / Q000032:analysis*; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D010414:Pennsylvania; D013997:Time Factors; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D007477:Ions; D059206:Natural Gas; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D008697:Methane