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Table 8 Emissions Per Pipeline Length 1990 emissions in ()where different from 1995 figures in tIKm
Note: The figures for natural sources are order of magnitude only and subject to considerable variability. that total methane emissions attributable to natural gas in 1995 were about 12% higher than NRCan/Environment Canada figures for the same year. Efforts are continuing within the industry to reduce methane losses. Based upon marketable production, these losses in 1995 were 1.13%, which is an improvement over the 1990 losses of 1.36% (Table 7). Joint studies by the US EPA and GRI predicted that, as natural gas demand continues to increase, methane losses, as a percentage of production, can be expected to decrease because of installation of newer equipment to handle expansion of the natural gas system, and continual replacement of older equipment at existing facilities. On a unit of production basis, and also in relation to kilometres of pipeline, emissions of methane from the natural gas industry have been shown to be decreasing when comparing 1995 to 1990 figures. Emissions of nitrous oxide from the natural gas cycle are minor compared to other greenhouse gases, being less than 1% on a carbon dioxide equivalent basis. NOx emissions contribute to smog formation. 62% of 1995 NOx emissions attributable to full cycle natural gas were from the natural gas industry, which is rarely located in areas where it contributes to urban smog. Nevertheless, efforts will continue to reduce NOx emissions. For example, low NOx compressors have been developed by turbine manufacturers and this equipment is coming in to service throughout the industry. It is anticipated that, on a percentage of production basis, greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas operations will continue to decrease as new measures are put in place. However, because of the continuing increase in demand for natural gas, it is not certain that there will be a decline in absolute emission volumes from this energy, but the total emissions from natural gas will be less than if demand was met by using other more polluting fuels. New technology is also being developed to improve end use efficiency. With two-thirds of all emissions from natural gas occurring at the point of combustion, the inventory data compiled by CGA is useful to indicate where priorities can be placed to maximize emission reductions through development of new higher efficiency technology. ‘While efforts will continue to decrease emissions of all greenhouse gases from the natural gas cycle, it should be recognized that the 1995 and 1990 emission figures are subject to modification as new studies and information become available. CGA is planning to conduct another major study of emissions, for release in 2000.
Annex: The Emissions Studies
The Standing Committee on Environment of the Canadian Gas Association commissioned Gas Technology Canada in 1994 to carry out an air emissions inventory for 1990 for the Canadian natural gas industry. Results of this study were published in 1995 as 1990 Air Emissions Inventory for the Canadian Natural Gas Industry. During 1996, CGA contracted through Gas Technology Canada with two organizations to study emissions from both the industry and end use. These studies used information for 1995 and 1990, and, for the industry portion, revised CGA’s 1990 industry baseline in light of the new study. For the industry component, Radian International was contracted. This firm had also worked with the US EPA and CR1 in their study of methane emissions. This ensured a common methodology between the Canadian and US natural gas industry studies. By linking emissions to production or throughput, Radian was also able to obtain revised estimates of the Canadian industry’s 1990 emissions. |
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