Air Emissions 101. What are Some Types of Emissions? Oil & Gas Emissions: In Context VOC

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1 Oil & Gas Emissions: In Context Air Emissions 101 What are Some Types of Emissions? CO2 - Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and is formed as one of the major products of combustion. CH4 - Methane, also known as natural gas, is considered a greenhouse gas. Methane is not considered an ozone precursor CO2 NOx - Nitrogen oxides result from the products of combustion and form quickly from emissions from cars, trucks, buses, power plants, and off-road equipment. Nitrogen oxides are an ozone precursor VOC - Volatile organic compounds are any compound of carbon, excluding carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbonic acid, metallic carbides or carbonates, and ammonium carbonate, which participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions. VOC's are an ozone precursor NO N 2 O NO 2 VOC

2 How is Ozone Formed? + + = Ozone NOx VOC Sunlight Colorado NOx Emissions VEHICLES POWER PLANTS OIL & GAS AREA (DISPOSAL FACILITIES, OTHER INDUSTRIAL, ETC.) Source: Air Pollution Control Division - Colorado Dept. Public Health & Environment 2010 Colorado VOC Emissions PLANT LIFE OIL & GAS VEHICLES AREA (DISPOSAL FACILITIES, OTHER INDUSTRIAL, ETC.) POWER PLANTS Source: Air Pollution Control Division - Colorado Dept. Public Health & Environment 2010 & WestJumpAQMS 2008 Photochemical Modeling

3 Where Do Greenhouse Gasses Come From? in Colorado Agriculture Waste Industrial Processes Oil & Gas Residential, Commercial Industrial Transportation Coal Electric Power Colorado Dept. Public Health & Environment - Air Pollution Control Division Inventory

4 U.S. Electricity Moving Away From Coal Million Megawatt Hours Coal Natural Gas Coal Year Natural Gas Why This Matters To Our Environment & Air Since % Decrease in Coal Power Generation 25% Increase in Natural Gas Power Generation 8% Decrease in U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions Source: EIA & EPA GHG Inventory

5 Million Metric Tons CO2e CO2e Emissions from Energy Year Low! Carbon Dioxide From Energy How? 101: Natural Gas Emissions Are Less Than Coal Burning natural gas emits half the CO2 as coal. 1 Burned natural gas emits virtually no particulates, about 1/3 the nitrous oxide coal releases, and 1% of the sulfur dioxides (SOx) of coal. 2 Particulates Sulfur Dioxide (SOx)

6 How are they measured? MASS + TIME = Air emissions are calculated using both a measurement of mass and time to represent how much a source is emitting. It s hard to think of air as having any mass. However, all molecules, including those comprised in air, are made up of atoms. And all have mass. Unlike solids, gasses increase mass by becoming bigger and occupying a larger volume instead of weighing more. What is a ton of gas? 1 ton of CO2 = 17,850 cubic feet 1 ton of NOx = 16,500 cubic feet 1 ton of VOC = 12,650 cubic feet A 2,ooo sq. foot home 8 feet high is approximately 15,840 cubic feet

7 Common Emissions Per Year 1 Car 1 Truck 4.85 Tons CO Tons CO Tons VOC.016 Tons VOC.009 Tons NOx.0125 Tons NOx 1 Household Furnace 10,668 pounds CO2 9 pounds NOx DIA 1,235 Tons VOC 4,290 Tons NOx 0.5 pounds VOC In other words: Round Trip Flight Denver to NYC.45 tons CO2 per person 910 tons for a full flight of 200

8 In other words: 1 Gallon Can White Paint 1.3 pounds VOC Source: In other words: Household Furnace 10,668 pounds CO2 per year 9 pounds NOx per year 0.5 pounds VOC per year Source:

9 In other words: Cattle & Dairy Farm (10,000 Cows) 6,000 tons Methane per year 75 tons NOx per year Source: Did you know? VOCs come from plants Plant life is the largest source of VOC emissions in the state of Colorado, emitting 275,000 tons per year. Source: WestJumpAQMS 2008 Photochemical Modeling

10 Who regulates oil and gas emissions? Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Federally guided state regulations Greenhouse Gases Green Completions Clean Air Act Ozone, hazardous air pollutants Permits guided by state and federal standards National Ambient Air Quality Standards New Source Performance Standards Risk Management Plans For more information please visit