DENVER – A team of researchers is working in the Four Corners to determine why there is a mysterious methane “hot spot” producing the largest concentration of the greenhouse gas in the nation.
The joint effort is being led by scientists from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and the Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) at the University of Colorado Boulder, with help from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA and the University of Michigan.
The hot spot, reported by NASA and the University of Michigan in October 2014, covers about 2,500 square miles. Researchers used satellite data to compile the information.
But the reason for the occurrence remains unknown. Some attribute the leakage around the San Juan Basin to energy-industry activities. Others say it is the result of a natural occurrence.
The 2013 report suggested that methane emissions should not be attributed to hydraulic fracturing but instead to leaks in natural gas production and processing equipment.
“If we can verify the methane emissions found by the satellite, and identify the various sources, then decision-makers will have critical information for any actions they are considering,” said Gabrielle Pétron, one of the scientists working on the investigation.
Methane has been in the spotlight, as President Barack Obama has called for a reduction in emissions nationwide. Fugitive methane is methane that freely is escaping to the atmosphere from both natural settings and as a result of human activities.
For the current study, a satellite that measures methane has been re-programmed to focus on the Four Corners. The team will take a closer look at the region using airborne and ground-based instruments. The groups are coordinating their measurements, but each agency will deploy its own instruments.
The investigation will end May 1.
Meanwhile, the Four Corners Air Quality Group will host a forum on April 17 in Farmington to discuss methane issues. The forum will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at San Juan College.
“The forum is an exciting opportunity to learn more about the region’s methane emissions from both pre-existing natural sources and human activities,” said Michael Silverstein, administrator for the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission. “State-of-the-art research focused on the Four Corners area is vital to the understanding of greenhouse gas emissions and potential mitigation options.”
