"Satellite technology detected a methane leak in Central Asia comparable to the total emissions from the Aliso Canyon disaster — the largest accidental release of greenhouse gases in U.S. history — according to a study released last week.

The study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, said satellites from Montreal-based GHGSat Inc. discovered methane plumes associated with oil and gas facilities in western Turkmenistan. Stéphane Germain — the firm's president and CEO — said satellite imagery makes it "pretty clear" that the largest emissions source came from an unlit flare.

This was the first time an unknown industrial methane leak was identified from space, he said, noting that the methane at Aliso Canyon in California was identified on the ground. In 2015, that leak at the Aliso Canyon storage facility in Los Angeles County prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents (Energywire, July 8)."

Carlos Anchondo reports for EnergyWire November 26, 2019. [2]