What are human-caused methane ‘super emitter’ events?

‘Super emitter’ events refer to instances where a site gushes significant amounts of methane into the atmosphere, primarily detected by satellite data analysis.

The latest addition to this is the Kazakhstan blowout, igniting a fire that burned for over six months. During this period, an estimated 127,000 tonnes of methane was emitted into the atmosphere. This is estimated to be one of the worst methane leaks ever recorded. In Kazakhstan, the environmental impact of the leak is equivalent to the emissions of over 717,000 petrol cars driven for a year, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator. However, the company that owns the well — Buzachi Neft — has disputed the claim.

Methane emissions are more impactful than carbon dioxide in terms of its effect on global warming. Methane is responsible for about 30 per cent of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution, according to the International Energy Agency. It has more than 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide during its first 20 years in the atmosphere and around 28 times the warming potential over 100 years.

Experts point to a history of under-reporting methane emissions. However, it has been hard to conceal this in recent times with increased usage of satellite imagery that provides a more precise analysis. Natural gas primarily comprises methane, a gas transparent to the human eye. But when sunlight passes through a cloud of methane, it creates a unique fingerprint that some satellites are able to track.

While some leaks — like venting unwanted gas while drilling for oil into the air — are deliberate, some — from badly maintained or poorly regulated equipment — are accidental.

About 40 per cent of human-caused methane emissions are caused due to leaks from fossil fuel exploration, production and transportation. These rose by almost 50 per cent between 2000 and 2019. Another 40 per cent come from agriculture (dominated by burping cattle) and 20 per cent from rotting waste sites. All are forecast to rise. In 2022, the US, Russia and Turkmenistan were responsible for the largest number from fossil fuel facilities.

For fossil fuel leaks at least, the solution seems to be within reach. At 80 per cent of oil and gas sites and 98 per cent of coal mines, the measures to plug leaks and end deliberate venting (companies dispose of unwanted natural gas by directly releasing it into the atmosphere) would not incur extra costs as the captured gas could be sold. Alternatively, plugging those leaks can also be done at a low net cost, according to the United Nations.

These leaks serve as a reminder of the risks of fossil fuel exploration. As the planet rapidly warms, countries are getting more serious about tracking and halting avoidable leaks of methane.

A methane-measuring satellite called MethaneSAT developed by the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund in collaboration with Google, will launch in March 2024. It aims to use Google’s AI to map, quantify and reduce leaks from oil and gas operations around the globe. The AI is designed to create an oil and gas infrastructure map, which will be combined with the MethaneSAT to trace the source of the gas. With this, researchers can develop a better understanding of the types of sources that generally contribute most to methane leaks and also help in mitigation.

This comes at a time when governments around the world are taking stronger stances on reducing methane leaks. Around 150 countries have joined the Global Methane Pledge, an initiative which aims to reduce global releases of methane by 30 per cent by the end of this decade.