On August 17, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released the latest inventory of air emissions for the unconventional natural gas operation industry. The inventory represents 2014 emissions from Marcellus Shale natural gas production and processing operations as well as compressor stations that receive gas from coal gas, conventional, and unconventional well sites.
According to the recently released 2015 Annual Oil and Gas Report, production from unconventional gas wells increased significantly, from 3.1 trillion cubic feet of gas to 4.1 trillion cubic feet. The number of midstream facilities that submitted data in 2014 increased by 12 percent, while the number of well sites reporting dropped 2.7 percent. From 2013 and 2014, there was an emissions increase from unconventional natural gas operations of nitrogen oxides (18%), fine particulate matter (25%), sulfur dioxide (40%), volatile organic compounds (25%), methane (1%), and carbon monoxide (19%).
To view the complete emissions inventory summarized by company, source category, county, and well farm, visit DEP’s website here, and click on the “Annual Emissions Data from Natural Gas Operations” link under the topic “Natural/Coal Bed Methane Gas Operations.”
