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Levels of methane—the second biggest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide—have spiked in the atmosphere in the past decade. And a study says fracking in North America could be partly to blame.
The gas is linked to climate change, as well as ground-level ozone levels that can harm agriculture. It can also trigger a range of health problems, including chest pains, as well as reducing lung function and worsening conditions such as bronchitis, emphysema and asthma.
[...] For the new study, Howarth looked at existing research on the levels of certain carbon isotopes of atmospheric methane to find a potential source, and created an equation to investigate the link.
Methane is a compound made up of carbon and hydrogen. While methane released in the late 20th century was enriched with the carbon isotope 13C, Howarth highlights methane released in recent years features lower levels. That's because the methane in shale gas has depleted levels of the isotope when compared with conventional natural gas or fossil fuels such as coal, he explained.
This lead Howarth to conclude: "The commercialization of shale gas and oil in the 21st century has dramatically increased global methane emissions."
[...] This could help the commitment of the Paris Agreement be met.
[...] "If we can stop pouring methane into the atmosphere, it will dissipate. It goes away pretty quickly, compared to carbon dioxide. It's the low-hanging fruit to slow global warming."
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday August 30 2019, @10:31AM (3 children)
"Natural gas is a clean burning low CO2 emitting fuel" - sure is, when you burn it. When you crack the ground and suck it out, did you really expect to not leak any?
IIRC, some of the side effects of fracking include flammable drinking water in nearby homes, for every bit of fuel that makes it into the domestic water supply there must be 100x as much that just dissipates up into the air.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 4, Informative) by Snow on Friday August 30 2019, @02:54PM (1 child)
Timely...
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/08/trump-admin-announces-plan-to-kill-2016-methane-emissions-limits/ [arstechnica.com]
(Score: 4, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Friday August 30 2019, @03:42PM
The dude is 70-what years old? Of course he wants to "go out with a bang" - I don't see any indication that he cares at all what happens after he's left office, or dies.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 30 2019, @03:02PM
One of the other side effects of fracking: more earthquakes.
posting from a shaking house in Oklahoma....
rts008
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 30 2019, @10:41AM (1 child)
https://wolfstreet.com/2016/09/26/the-real-reason-oil-gas-companies-are-going-bankrupt-financing-fracking-projects-has-become-a-ponzi-scheme/ [wolfstreet.com]
The lizard beings behind fracking know well they will not be affected by methane or all the harmful chemicals they pollute the environment with.
(Score: 5, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Friday August 30 2019, @03:25PM
Well that article is kind of stupid. But, it is also correct in it's main thesis.
Oil & Gas prices actually are near a historic low. Comparing the prices today to 1950 in order to say that's not true is cherry-picking in order to ignore the bigger picture. (just look at the graph)
But, they're completely right that it looks a lot like a ponzi scheme currently (or at least, like the tech bubble). There actually isn't any money to be made "Gathering and Processing" gas right now. The rule of thumb is that it's not profitable to extract below about $50-60 per barrel and we're below that.
But, a lot of startups are still drilling new leases, knowing they can't make any money from them, with the hope of getting bought out by the bigger guys.
(Source: I do environmental compliance in this industry but I talk to the financial guys sometimes)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 30 2019, @11:13AM (4 children)
Some people really should not base their investments on delusions that artificial scarcity can be kept undisturbed forever.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday August 30 2019, @03:30PM (3 children)
Natural gas is a finite resource, therefore, it's scarcity is all natural!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 30 2019, @04:04PM
Air is also a finite resource, and I guess even you do not like to choke on smog. Whether you want some other people to be choking in the name of preserving someones' profits... err, "to slow global warming" or what the excuse of the day is, depends on your (lack of) empathy to human beings.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday August 30 2019, @04:07PM
Finite does not imply scarce.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 1) by NickM on Friday August 30 2019, @04:46PM
I a master of typographic, grammatical and miscellaneous errors !
(Score: 3, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Friday August 30 2019, @03:10PM (1 child)
Trump admin. announces plan to kill 2016 methane emissions limits [arstechnica.com]
The most frustrating part is that these emissions are completely preventable! It's pretty much all fugitive emissions.
Lead detection and repair programs (LDAR) are not even that expensive.
Even a lot of oil & gas companies are saying this is stupid! [pbs.org]
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday August 30 2019, @03:28PM
LEAK detection...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 30 2019, @04:23PM (1 child)
We need to make these people buy tremor credits to fix the problems they are creating.
(Score: 1) by evilcam on Monday September 02 2019, @02:10AM
Imagine building a nuclear plant and not needing a plan to deal with the waste...