Articles | Volume 25, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1513-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1513-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
04 Feb 2025
Research article |
| 04 Feb 2025
| 04 Feb 2025
Small emission sources in aggregate disproportionately account for a large majority of total methane emissions from the US oil and gas sector
Environmental Defense Fund, New York, NY 10010, USA
MethaneSAT, LLC, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Mark Omara
Environmental Defense Fund, New York, NY 10010, USA
MethaneSAT, LLC, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Anthony Himmelberger
MethaneSAT, LLC, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Daniel Zavala-Araiza
Environmental Defense Fund, New York, NY 10010, USA
Katlyn MacKay
Environmental Defense Fund, New York, NY 10010, USA
MethaneSAT, LLC, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Joshua Benmergui
Environmental Defense Fund, New York, NY 10010, USA
MethaneSAT, LLC, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Maryann Sargent
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Steven C. Wofsy
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Steven P. Hamburg
Environmental Defense Fund, New York, NY 10010, USA
MethaneSAT, LLC, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Ritesh Gautam
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Environmental Defense Fund, New York, NY 10010, USA
MethaneSAT, LLC, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Viewed
Total article views: 10,698 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 22 May 2024)
| HTML | XML | Total | Supplement | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,294 | 3,007 | 397 | 10,698 | 594 | 216 | 330 |
- HTML: 7,294
- PDF: 3,007
- XML: 397
- Total: 10,698
- Supplement: 594
- BibTeX: 216
- EndNote: 330
Total article views: 5,785 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 04 Feb 2025)
| HTML | XML | Total | Supplement | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,871 | 1,828 | 86 | 5,785 | 274 | 84 | 127 |
- HTML: 3,871
- PDF: 1,828
- XML: 86
- Total: 5,785
- Supplement: 274
- BibTeX: 84
- EndNote: 127
Total article views: 4,913 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 22 May 2024)
| HTML | XML | Total | Supplement | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,423 | 1,179 | 311 | 4,913 | 320 | 132 | 203 |
- HTML: 3,423
- PDF: 1,179
- XML: 311
- Total: 4,913
- Supplement: 320
- BibTeX: 132
- EndNote: 203
Viewed (geographical distribution)
Total article views: 10,698 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 10,527 with geography defined
and 171 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 5,785 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 5,628 with geography defined
and 157 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 4,913 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 4,899 with geography defined
and 14 with unknown origin.
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
Cited
14 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Sectoral contributions of high-emitting methane point sources from major US onshore oil and gas producing basins using airborne measurements from MethaneAIR J. Warren et al.
- High-Resolution Modeling of Methane Plumes: Validation and Sensitivity Experiments to Explore Emission Quantification Approaches R. Yuvaraj et al.
- Surveying methane point-source super-emissions across oil and gas basins with MethaneSAT L. Guanter et al.
- Performance evaluation of multi-source methane emission quantification models using fixed-point continuous monitoring systems D. Ball et al.
- Methane quantification of LNG gas-fired power plant in Seoul, South Korea J. Joo et al.
- Attributing GHG emissions to individual facilities using multi-temporal hyperspectral images: Methodology and applications Y. Zhang et al.
- Detection of Methane Leaks via Drone in Release Trials: Set-Up of the Measurement System for Flux Quantification G. Tassielli et al.
- Rapid Methane Flux Estimation Combining MethaneSAT and Sentinel‐5P Observations: A Case Study of Turkmenistan Y. Huang et al.
- Molten salt-mediated synthesis of a graphene-based electrode from low-concentration methane for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction Z. Huang et al.
- Quantifying CH4 point source emissions with airborne remote sensing: first results from AVIRIS-4 S. Meier et al.
- Satellite Insights into methane Super-Emitters: Regional emissions and yearly growth on Turkmenistan’s west coast Z. He et al.
- Gas Flaring Is Likely Underestimated by Satellites due to Undetected Small Flares S. Seymour et al.
- Methane emissions from the oil and gas supply chain: Characteristics and mitigation H. Lu et al.
- Global Methane Budget 2000–2020 M. Saunois et al.
14 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Sectoral contributions of high-emitting methane point sources from major US onshore oil and gas producing basins using airborne measurements from MethaneAIR J. Warren et al.
- High-Resolution Modeling of Methane Plumes: Validation and Sensitivity Experiments to Explore Emission Quantification Approaches R. Yuvaraj et al.
- Surveying methane point-source super-emissions across oil and gas basins with MethaneSAT L. Guanter et al.
- Performance evaluation of multi-source methane emission quantification models using fixed-point continuous monitoring systems D. Ball et al.
- Methane quantification of LNG gas-fired power plant in Seoul, South Korea J. Joo et al.
- Attributing GHG emissions to individual facilities using multi-temporal hyperspectral images: Methodology and applications Y. Zhang et al.
- Detection of Methane Leaks via Drone in Release Trials: Set-Up of the Measurement System for Flux Quantification G. Tassielli et al.
- Rapid Methane Flux Estimation Combining MethaneSAT and Sentinel‐5P Observations: A Case Study of Turkmenistan Y. Huang et al.
- Molten salt-mediated synthesis of a graphene-based electrode from low-concentration methane for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction Z. Huang et al.
- Quantifying CH4 point source emissions with airborne remote sensing: first results from AVIRIS-4 S. Meier et al.
- Satellite Insights into methane Super-Emitters: Regional emissions and yearly growth on Turkmenistan’s west coast Z. He et al.
- Gas Flaring Is Likely Underestimated by Satellites due to Undetected Small Flares S. Seymour et al.
- Methane emissions from the oil and gas supply chain: Characteristics and mitigation H. Lu et al.
- Global Methane Budget 2000–2020 M. Saunois et al.
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 16 May 2026
Short summary
We utilize peer-reviewed facility-level oil and gas methane emission rate data gathered in prior work to estimate the relative contributions of methane sources emitting at different emission rates in the United States. We find that the majority of total methane emissions in the US oil and gas sector stem from a large number of small sources emitting in aggregate, corroborating findings from several other studies.
We utilize peer-reviewed facility-level oil and gas methane emission rate data gathered in prior...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint