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Comparison of co-located laser and metal oxide continuous monitoring systemsAccurate measurement of methane (CH4) concentrations on oil and gas sites is essential for accurate estimates of methane emission rates via inversion algorithms. Different types of continuous monitoring sensors are offered as commercial solutions, with varying accuracy. In this paper we compare data from co-located Metal Oxide (MOx) and Laser Spectroscopy (LS) sensors on a midstream oil and gas site, with the goal of quantifying the differences in raw concentration measurements between the two technologies. We first analyze the impact of meteorological variables on the difference between MOx and LS concentrations measurements taken at the same time and location, finding that temperatures from 30 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and higher humidity contribute to larger concentration differences on average. Further, analysis of enhanced methane concentrations (likely from emissions on the site) recorded by both sets of sensors reveals that the LS sensors consistently record larger methane concentrations during these periods. This difference means that when using concentration measurements from both sensor technologies in inversion algorithms to estimate emission rates, using MOx sensor data would likely lead to underestimating emission rates, although we did not test this explicitly in this report.
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Deployment of climate change adaptation technologiesDeveloping countries are seriously impacted by climate change. The World's 55 most climate-vulnerable have already lost 20% of their GDP.[1] Achieving the long-term goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement [2] to tackle climate change adaptation would require both new and emerging technologies as well as innovative business models and markets for their successful deployment at scale in developing countries.
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InSAR and its applications in geo-engineering: case studies with different platforms and sensorsInSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) is a microwave remote sensing technique that uses the phase shift of radar signals acquired at different timeframes to measure or monitor ground deformation. InSAR has many implications, such as monitoring ground deformation caused by natural- or geo-hazards, e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, anthropogenic activities, groundwater pumping, underground mining, and hydrocarbon extraction. InSAR can also be utilized to study infrastructure displacements and environmental changes, such as monitoring changes in surface water level, mapping floods, soil moisture contents (at a shallow depth), and deforestation. The first significant application of SAR is the deployment of real-aperture radar interferometry to study the topography of the Moon in the early 1970s. However, InSAR was not widely used due to the limitations of computation capacity and the sparse availa-ble SAR data until the early 1990s. A major milestone for InSAR applications came in the 1990s when researchers used SAR data to measure ground deformation induced by the Landers Earthquake in California, and one of the publications landed on the cover of Nature magazine. This landmark achievement brought widespread recognition to the potential of InSAR for mapping ground deformation. Over the past two decades, the computation power and availability of SAR data have improved considerably with the launch of more satellites carrying SAR sensors. This paper presents a brief introduction to the history and fundamentals of InSAR, as well as case studies of its applications in the geo-engineering fields, including landslide displacement monitoring and underground excavation-induced ground subsidence mapping.
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Forging a greener future: the imperative of decarbonizing steel productionAs evening approaches in Pueblo, Colorado, the vast steel mill begins to transform under the setting sun. The EVRAZ Rocky Mountain Steel mill, a longstanding institution in this industrial area for more than a century, is evolving as part of the push to decarbonize the global steel industry. Collaborating with Lightsource bp, the mill is shifting to solar energy, positioning itself as the first steel mill in North America to operate predominantly on solar power. The solar conversion is set to abate almost half a million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
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The Colorado geothermal frontierIn Chaffee County Colorado, residents and visitors alike have long taken advantage of the natural hot springs generated by thermal anomalies deep underground. Soon, this same heat may be tapped to provide energy for the local community. Here, and across Colorado, geothermal is the focus of renewed attention and funding, with $7.7 million awarded for geothermal technology from the Colorado Energy Office, and further private investment. This project in Chaffee County was highlighted last week in an article from the Colorado Sun, noting the investment of Icelandic companies.
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Oil depot fire in Proletarsk rages on for sixth dayFirefighters are now in their sixth day of battling a massive blaze that erupted at an oil storage facility in Proletarsk, Russia. The fire ignited early on Sunday, August 18th, following the downing of Ukrainian drones by Russian air defense systems near the town.
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Global offshore lighting gridsThe Payne Institute Earth Observation Group present the first comprehensive multiyear global mapping of offshore lighting structures derived from low-light imaging satellite observations collected at night. The sensor is the day/night band (DNB) flown as part of the NASA/NOAA Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS).
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Geological storage risk mitigation: the way forwardThis paper is the last in a series that identified the operational, financial and business model risks through the lifecycle of a geological storage project. These papers then discussed steps that are being taken to mitigate each risk, as well as to ensure that adequate funds are available to pay for closure and for environmental damages should any occur. In addressing these risks, this series averred that the regulatory landscape appears adequate to address them.
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Satellite data shows Park Fire devastationThe largest active wildfire in the U.S, the Park Fire in northern California, ignited last Wednesday (the 24th of July) and quickly engulfed more than 360,000 acres – approximately 560 square miles – by Sunday. As of Monday (29 July), the fire was about 12% contained. Arson has been cited as the cause.
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Satellite data reveals scale and intensity of Colorado's front range firesHundreds of firefighters are battling four separate wildfires that have erupted since Monday, July 29, along Colorado's front range foothills, consuming more than 8,300 acres. One person has died, and thousands have been forced to evacuate. On Wednesday, July 31, Gov. Jared Polis ordered the deployment of the National Guard to aid in the firefight.
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Long term stewardship: releasing residual liabilityIn a carbon geological storage project, the final phase is referred to as Long Term Stewardship (LTS). It follows the Post Injection and Site Care (PISC) phase, i.e., after the injection well has been plugged, the developer has monitored the subsurface for any CO₂ leaks for the prescribed period, and the site has been "closed."
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Removing cost from the equation: a framework for assessing OER programs without measuring savingsCost savings have become a prominent focus of programmatic Open Educational Resources (OER) assessment. While cost savings appear easy to understand, measure, and sell to stakeholders, they belie the breadth of benefits associated with OER and may be based on inaccurate assumptions. A comprehensive approach to assessment is needed to understand the full impact of OER, accurately represent the benefits of OER to stakeholders, and maintain program momentum and sustainability. Libraries and OER share much in common, perhaps most significantly, a foundational purpose of enabling access to information. Librarians are advocates of OER and frequently serve as program administrators. Libraries use evaluation to improve their offerings and sell the value of free goods and services to policymakers and stakeholders. As such, library assessment is well-suited to act as a guide for developing OER program assessment. This paper seeks to provide recommendations for an approach to OER program assessment based on existing OER and library assessment frameworks, with a de-emphasis on cost savings.
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Preliminary evaluation of community-oriented risk analysis of carbon capture, transport, and storage in the United StatesCCS projects are slated to be multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects comprised of carbon dioxide pipelines, capture sites, and injection wells for the sub-surface. While the technical feasibility of carbon capture projects is explained systematically, for example as part of the permitting application for Class VI wells for geological storage, the social implications of projects are equally important and must also be evaluated to better understand risks and holistic mitigation of liability for all involved parties.
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Financial risk management for geological storageThe U.S. government has implemented several policies designed to position Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects for growth. These include a regulatory framework and financial incentives such as Internal Revenue Service Section 45Q tax credits and grants. Potential project developers are responding positively, as evidenced, for example, by Class VI well permit applications that have been discussed elsewhere in this series of papers.
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Geological storage: risks and operational risk mitigationThe use of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as a climate mitigation tool envisions the permanent underground storage of CO₂. The prospects for large scale adoption of geological storage has raised concerns regarding the risks — of property damage, environmental degradation, and to human health — if stored CO₂ were to leak to the surface or into shallow water resources.
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Introduction: risk mitigation in geological storage of CO₂There is consensus that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an integral activity in the effort to limit global warming and its harmful effects. That contribution requires a significant scaling of CCS operations. To name just one example, the International Energy Agency (IEA)'s most recent Net Zero scenario includes CCS removing one billion tons of CO₂ per year by 2030 and six billion tons by 2050, up from 45 million tons captured and stored in 2022.
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Satellite data reveals the start of Canada's wildfire seasonPayne Institute Earth Observation Group Research Associate Mikhail Zhizhin, Communications Associate Kristin Ziv, Senior Research Associate Christopher Elvidge, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how as of May 14, 2024, there are 143 active wildfires in Canada, and 39 are out of control, according to Canadian experts and officials. The Earth Observation Group has calculated the temperatures and spatial extent of active burning across Canada with their Nightfire algorithm applied to data collected by NOAA's Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Suite (VIIRS).
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Navigating commercial advisory in the VCMSchool of Mines Mineral and Energy Economics Masters candidate Jared Andreatta and Sustainable Finance Lab Program Manager Brad Handler write an explainer of the various types of commercial advisory services firms that participate in the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM). These advisory firms primarily help buyers find, evaluate and transact carbon offset credits, but offer distinct approaches.
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Satellite data captures power outages in Sudan's civil warPayne Institute Earth Observation Group Research Associate Mikhail Zhizhin, Communications Associate Kristin Ziv, Senior Research Associate Christopher Elvidge, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how a horrible full-scale civil war in Sudan is creating chaos, anarchy, mass starvation, and the world's largest population of internal refugees – approximately nine million. The researchers have created a temporal profile of nighttime lights for Khartoum where seasonal variations in lights within a year can be seen, but the interannual radiance was stable until the conflict started in April 2023.
