Methane Emission Estimation of Oil and Gas Sector: A Review of Measurement Technologies, Data Analysis Methods and Uncertainty Estimation

The emission estimation of the oil and gas sector, which involves field test measurements, data analysis, and uncertainty estimation, precedes effective emission mitigation actions. A systematic comparison and summary of these technologies and methods are necessary to instruct the technology selection and for uncertainty improvement, which is not found in existing literature. In this paper, we present a review of existing measuring technologies, matching data analysis methods, and newly developed probabilistic tools for uncertainty estimation and try to depict the process for emission estimation. Through a review, we find that objectives have a determinative effect on the selection of measurement technologies, matching data analysis methods, and uncertainty estimation methods. And from a systematic perspective, optical instruments may have greatly improved measurement accuracy and range, yet data analysis methods might be the main contributor of estimation uncertainty. We suggest that future studies on oil and gas methane emissions should focus on the analysis methods to narrow the uncertainty bond, and more research on uncertainty generation might also be required.