Page 10 - FSUOGM Week 31 2021

FSUOGM ENERGY TRANSITION FSUOGM

Satellite data detects massive methane

plume in Kazakhstan in July

KAZAKHSTAN A massive methane plume has been detected Kayrros has access to, there are no other candi-
over Kazakhstan originating from a pipeline that dates for the observed release.”
Kayrros also identified carries Central Asian gas to China, geoanalytics The Central Asia-China runs through
a significant methane firm Kayrros reported this week citing satellite Kazakhstan carrying up to 55bn cubic metres
leak in Russia in June. data. per year of Central Asian gas. The operator of
Methane is emitted in far smaller volumes its Kazakh section, state-owned KazTransGas
than CO2, but it has a far greater greenhouse (KTG), has denied having any leaks and the
gas (GHG) potency. Recently attention on Kazakh government is yet to respond to Kay-
gas sector-related emissions has shifted rros’ claim.
from CO2 to methane, with the European The geoanalytics firm said it could not say
Commission having drawn up a proposal how long the release lasted, as the analysis was
for rules on the detection of emissions and based on a single observation by the European
their mitigation. Space Agency’s Sentinel-5P satellite when it
These efforts have been aided by a significant passed over Kazakhstan last month.
advance in recent years in the ability of satellites Satellites typically report higher volumes
to detect and quantity emissions from individ- of methane emissions from oil and gas infra-
ual sources. There are hopes that the data can be structure than local operators and governments
used to ensure that major sources of emissions report. But while transparency and accurate
can be dealt with sooner. reporting may be an issue, satellites can poten-
The latest plume was observed around 100 tially overestimate emissions as they only take a
km west of Kazakhstan’s largest city of Almaty snapshot observation, rather than monitoring
on July 24, and had an emissions rate of over fugitive and planned emissions over the course
200 tonnes per hour of methane, Bloomberg of a day.
reported on August 2, citing an estimate from Kayrros also identified a significant methane
Kayrros. leak in Russia in June along the Urengoy-Centre
“This largest emission event matches the pat- 1 pipeline. The rate of that leak was 395 tonnes
tern of methane release observed from gas infra- per hour, or almost double what was recorded in
structure,” Kayrros was quoted as saying by the Kazakhstan. Gazprom later admitted to causing
news agency. “A pipeline and compressors are the plume, attributing it to emergency repairs
in close proximity, and based on information that had resulted in the pipeline’s closure. ™

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