Largest Recorded Methane Leak Detected in Kazakh Oil Well

Largest Recorded Methane Leak Detected in Kazakh Oil Well
by Hugo Ritmico
Madrid, Spain (SPX) Jul 18, 2024

An international team led by Dr. Luis Guanter from the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV) has reported the largest methane leak ever documented in an oil well. The well, situated in the Karaturun East field in Kazakhstan, was the site of this unprecedented emission.

Published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters and highlighted by Nature, the study uses satellite data from missions like TROPOMI, GHGSat, PRISMA, EnMAP, and EMIT, along with Sentinel-2 and Landsat multispectral radiometers, to quantify and monitor this significant methane release.

The LARS group at IIAMA-UPV discovered that the incident, which created a 10-meter-high fire and a 15-meter-wide crater, surpassed previous notable leaks such as Aliso Canyon (2015), Ohio (2018), and Louisiana (2019). The leak, starting on June 9, 2023, released approximately 131,000 tonnes of methane over 205 days. "Thousands of tonnes of water were injected to seal the well. Finally, the gas flow was stopped on December 25, 2023, by injecting drilling mud," explained Luis Guanter.

The study involved contributions from LARS-IIAMA researchers Javier Roger, Adriana Valverde, Itziar Irakulis, and Javier Gorrono, as well as experts from international institutions including the SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Kayrros, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

This research has developed innovative data processing methods to improve the detection and handling of large methane plumes. "These optimized methods include the implementation of a tailored filter to detect plumes and specific methane quantification models for hyperspectral instruments," explained the LARS group researchers.

They emphasized that advanced satellite-based technologies are vital for identifying and quantifying methane emissions, particularly in remote areas. "Our work demonstrates how advanced space-based tools are essential for discovering and managing these super-emission events, enabling accurate reconstruction and robust emissions quantification," stated the LARS group members.

The IIAMA researchers also stressed the importance of continuous and precise monitoring to reduce the environmental impacts of industrial activities like oil and gas extraction. "Natural gas, in addition to being an important energy source, is also a greenhouse gas responsible for almost a third of global warming, as it contains more than 90% methane. The difference with CO2 is that it has a greater impact in the short term, so it is necessary to act at the source and reduce emissions," they concluded.

Research Report:Multisatellite Data Depicts a Record-Breaking Methane Leak from a Well Blowout