WorldWide Drilling Resource

33 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® NOVEMBER 2013 UT Study Shows Reduction in Methane Emissions Adapted from a Press Release by The University of Texas A new study from The University of Texas (UT) at Austin reports on exten- sive measurements of methane emis- sions - including the first measurements for methane emissions taken directly at the well pad - during completion opera- tions for hydraulically fractured wells. A team of researchers from UT Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering and environmental testing firms URS and Aerodyne Research completed meas- urements at 190 natural gas produc- tion sites across the United States. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . The study team found the majority of hydraulically fractured well completions sampled during the study had equipment in place which reduced methane emis- sions by 99%. This equipment led to methane emissions from well comple- tions being 97% lower than 2011 nation- al emission estimates, released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “The way in which wells are drilled and brought into pro- duct ion has been evolving,” said David Al len, professor of chemical engineering at UT’s Cockrell School of Engineering and principal investigator for the study. “The over- all goal was to measure methane emis- sions during production at a large number of recently developed sites, and to assess the national implications for methane emissions. The team performed the first ever direct measurements of methane emissions from some of these sources.” The UT-led field study was a coop- erative effort which included experts from: Environmental Defense Fund Anadarko Petroleum Corporation BG Group plc Chevron Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. Pioneer Natural Resources Co. SWEPI LP (Shell) Southwestern Energy Talisman Energy USA XTO Energy, an ExxonMobil sub- sidiary. The collaboration of energy compa- nies included unprecedented access to their natural gas production facilities and equipment, which allowed researchers to acquire direct measurements of methane emissions from natural gas production operations where hydraulic fracturing is used. “This study tackles one of the most hotly debated issues in environmental science and policy today,” said Mark Brownstein, associate vice president and chief counsel of the U.S. Climate and Energy Program, Environmental Defense Fund. “It shows that when producers use practices to capture or control emis- sions, such as green completions, methane can be dramatically reduced. The study also demonstrated, however, that certain methane emissions are larg- er than previously thought, indicating that there are many further opportunities to UT Study cont’d on page 34.