Mapping Program Pinpoints Natural Gas Leaks in Cities

MethaneMaps

These terrific interactive methane maps were created through a collaborative effort by the Environmental Defense Fund and Google Earth Outreach. These maps shows the all-too numerous methane leaks in our urban local natural gas distribution pipes. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 120 times stronger than carbon dioxide when first released, and is the primary ingredient of natural gas. After processing the raw gas extracted from the ground, pipeline quality natural gas is approximately 98 percent methane. Natural gas is invisible, odorless, and distributed under pressure, so it can leak indefinitely without detection. However, exciting technological progress is allowing for much better and faster detection. A newly available, sophisticated car-mounted detection device can locate and estimate the size of methane leaks by driving a grid of city streets to provide a picture of that city’s leaks. So far, Boston, MA, Indianapolis, IN, and Staten Island, NY have been tested, with the oldest system in Boston leaking the most and the newest system in Indianapolis leaking the least. The maps draw two main conclusions: (1) We need to invest in plugging the leaks, and (2) we need government agencies to incorporate new detection and monitoring technologies more rapidly.