Using Ambient Concentration Measurements to Quantify Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Unconventional Oil and Gas Operations.

ABSTRACT: Oil and gas (O&G) development in the U.S. has accelerated in the past two decades, aided by unconventional extraction techniques. Potential environmental and health impacts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) originating from O&G activities have raised concerns, but emission estimates remain highly uncertain. This study offers new insights into operation-specific VOC emission rates during unconventional O&G development (UOGD). We utilize dispersion model simulations with a new emission inversion method to analyze four years (2019-2022) of weekly air canister samples, measuring 48 VOCs at 10 monitoring sites in Broomfield, Colorado, where several large multiwell pads were drilled, completed, and entered production during the study period. Emissions are characterized for well drilling, hydr

SUBMITTER: Zhang W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12756904 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature