Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Western Canadian Natural Gas: Proposed Emissions Tracking for Life Cycle Modeling

Abstract

Natural gas (NG) produced in Western Canada is a major and growing source of Canada’s energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions portfolio. Despite recent progress, there is still only limited understanding of the sources and drivers of Western Canadian greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We conduct a case study of a production facility based on Seven Generation Energy Ltd.’s Western Canadian operations and an upstream NG emissions intensity model. The case study upstream emissions intensity is estimated to be 3.1–4.0 gCO2e/MJ NG compared to current best estimates of British Columbia (BC) emissions intensities of 6.2–12 gCO2e/MJ NG and a US average estimate of 15 gCO2e/MJ. The analysis reveals that compared to US studies, public GHG emissions data for Western Canada is insufficient as current public data satisfies only 50% of typical LCA model inputs. Company provided data closes most of these gaps (∼80% of the model inputs). We recommend more detailed data collection and presentation of government reported data such as a breakdown of vented and fugitive methane emissions by source. We propose a data collection template to facilitate improved GHG emissions intensity estimates and insight about potential mitigation strategies.

Implications of Generation Efficiencies and Supply Chain Leaks for the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Natural Gas-Fired Electricity in the United States

“…First, we observe substantial reductions in life cycle emissions of natural gas-fired electricity over the three snapshot years. Second, the emissions intensity from the natural gas supply chain infrastructure elements shows a long tail, which is consistent with the growing body of literature on super-emitters. , Such findings suggest that prior discrepancies across atmospheric and facility-scale studies may be resolved with focused research to estimates . While our analysis does not quantify super-emitting facilities directly, we contribute an understanding of the scale of emissions that would have to escape to reverse the climate benefits of a coal-to-gas transition with the parametric comparison presented in Figure .…”

“…69,70 Such findings suggest that prior discrepancies across atmospheric and facility-scale studies may be resolved with focused research to estimates. 23 While our analysis does not quantify super-emitting facilities directly, we contribute an understanding of the scale of emissions that would have to escape to reverse the climate benefits of a coal-to-gas transition with the parametric comparison presented in Figure 5.…”

“…22 For example, Roman-White et al 15 map the liquefied natural gas supply chain upstream and downstream of Cheniere's Sabine Pass liquefaction terminal. Liu et al 23 focus on a case study of a production facility in Western Canada to identify the current data gaps and data aggregation that exist in Alberta and British Columbia public databases, with a focus on data gaps on GHG emissions or operating characteristics. While improvements in the understanding of methane emissions have been reflected in these studies, our analysis captures site-level data across the contiguous United States, providing the resolution required to adequately account for spatiotemporal variability of methane leaks from natural gas production infrastructure as well as gains in efficiency in gas-fired generation.…”

LCA model validation of SAGD facilities with real operation data as a collaborative example between model developers and industry

“…Different values between 6,224.8-14,032.2 g CO 2 eq./mmBtu are reported for Canadian national average, western Canadian, and shale gas from Canadian fields. 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 The challenge is that there are very limited references for Canada-specific NG CI. IHS Markit reports that in total about 55% of oil sands diluent demand is met by domestically produced condensate and about 15% is met by imported condensate.…”

Artificial Intelligence Integrated Energy Education Framework. A Holistic Approach

“…In response, the emphasis has shifted towards renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal, which present cleaner and more sustainable options [6]. Additionally, enhancing energy efficiency across diverse sectors is critical for minimizing energy waste and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions [7]. The adoption of energy-efficient technologies, implementation of energy management systems, 2 education and promotion of behavioral changes are vital measures in facilitating sustainable energy consumption practices [8].…”