Few Pneumatic Controls Emit 96 Percent of Methane

Only 20 percent of pneumatic controllers at natural gas wells account for 96 percent of natural gas and methane emissions, according to a Dec. 9 study by the Environmental Defense Fund and University of Texas. Researchers measured methane emissions from 377 pneumatic controllers at 65 oil and natural gas sites, according to the study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. Pneumatic controllers use gas pressure to operate mechanical devices such as valves. The Environmental Protection Agency reported that 477,606 pneumatic controllers are in operation at natural gas production sites in the U.S. and emitted 335 gigatons of methane ...