Soil surface flux measurements are a reliable means for assessing fugitive gas migration across soils and seasons

Abstract

As oil and gas wells age and the number of wells drilled increases to meet demand, we may see more instances of fugitive soil gas migration (GM) and associated methane (CH4) emissions. Due to the immense spatiotemporal variability of soils and uncertainty in measurement practice, the detection and quantification of GM emissions is a challenge. Two common measurement techniques include the shallow in-soil gas concentration approach and soil surface flux measurements using flux chambers. In this numerical modeling study, both methods were compared to determine how soil texture, environmental conditions (water content, temperature), and CH4 leak rates into the soil profile influenced in-soil CH4 concentration and surface CH4 flux rates. We observed that in-soil CH4 concentration was strongly controlled by soil texture and environmental conditions, whereas surface CH4 flux rates were far less sensitive to those same parameters. Flux measurements were more useful for determining severity of the CH4 leak into the soil and allowed us to differentiate between leak and nonleak scenarios in soils with biological CH4 production which could complicate a GM assessment. We also evaluated field measurements of carbon dioxide from an enhanced oil recovery site to demonstrate how seasonal conditions can influence concentrations of trace gases in shallow soil. Based on our model results and supplemental field measurements, we propose that flux chamber measurements present a more reliable tool to assess the incidence and severity of fugitive GM.