A new report from the Gas Leaks Project and Earthworks found nearly 100 oil and gas emission events in the Appalachian Basin, which cumulatively were observed emitting an estimated rate of more than 162,000 pounds of methane per hour and unknowingly exposing nearby communities to harmful carcinogens.
These super-emitter incidents, defined by the EPA as a release of methane with an emission rate of 100 kilograms per hour or greater, were observed from 70 oil and gas sources, based on one year of data across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The report identifies the companies likely responsible for over half of the detected plumes, including those from corporations that claim to be leaders in methane reduction.
Key Findings:
- The team was able to identify likely sources by company for 59% of these plumes
- Of the 70 oil and gas methane plume sources, 16 (23%) were detected polluting on multiple days
- Nearly 30% (20 sources) appeared to be polluting every day they were observed over the year
- 28 plumes were investigated and included in PSE Healthy Energy’s Methane Risk Map, with a total of 1,249 to 5,788 people and one high school potentially at risk of unsafe benzene exposure
- The analysis shows that super-emitter methane release incidents, if not quickly mitigated, could result in substantial additional emissions beyond companies’ publicly reported inventories
The report demonstrates how satellites, other detection methods, and data can more accurately capture the extent of industry pollution, ground-truth company claims of responsible practices, and identify opportunities for real emissions reductions. It also includes recommendations to improve data accuracy and implement effective methane mitigation measures.
