Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3620
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3620
17 Jan 2025
 | 17 Jan 2025

Improving Consistency in Methane Emission Quantification from the Natural Gas Distribution System across Measurement Devices

Judith Tettenborn, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Daan Stroeken, Hossein Maazallahi, Carina van der Veen, Arjan Hensen, Ilona Velzeboer, Pim van den Bulk, Felix Vogel, Lawson Gillespie, Sebastien Ars, James France, David Lowry, Rebecca Fisher, and Thomas Röckmann

Abstract. Mobile real-time measurements of ambient methane provide a fast and effective method to identify and quantify methane leaks from local gas distribution systems in urban areas. The objectives of these methodologies are to i) identify leak locations for repair and ii) construct measurement-based emission rate estimates, which can improve emissions reporting and contribute to monitoring emission changes over time. Currently, the most common method for emission quantification uses the maximum methane enhancement detected while crossing a methane plume. However, the recorded maximum depends on instrument characteristics, such as measurement cell size, pump speed and measurement frequency. Consequently, the current approach can only be used by instruments with similar characteristics. We suggest that the integrated spatial peak area is a more suitable quantity that can eliminate the bias between different instruments. Based on controlled release experiments conducted in four cities (London, Toronto, Rotterdam, and Utrecht), emission estimation methodologies were evaluated. Indeed, the integrated spatial peak area was found to be a more robust metric across different methane gas analyzer devices than the maximum methane enhancement. A statistical function based on integrated spatial peak area is proposed for more consistent emission estimations when using different instruments. On top of this systematic relation between actual emission rate and recorded spatial peak area, large variations in methane spatial peak area were observed for the multiple transects across the same release point, in line with previous experiments. This variability is the main contributor of uncertainty in efforts to use mobile measurements to prioritize leak repair. We show that repeated transects can reduce this uncertainty and improve the categorization into different leak categories. We recommend a minimum of three and an optimal range of 5-7 plume transects for effective emission quantification to prioritize repair actions.

Competing interests: Some authors are members of the editorial board of journal AMT.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

31 Jul 2025
Improving consistency in methane emission quantification from the natural gas distribution systems across measurement devices
Judith Tettenborn, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Daan Stroeken, Hossein Maazallahi, Carina van der Veen, Arjan Hensen, Ilona Velzeboer, Pim van den Bulk, Felix Vogel, Lawson Gillespie, Sebastien Ars, James France, David Lowry, Rebecca Fisher, and Thomas Röckmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3569–3584, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3569-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3569-2025, 2025
Short summary
Judith Tettenborn, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Daan Stroeken, Hossein Maazallahi, Carina van der Veen, Arjan Hensen, Ilona Velzeboer, Pim van den Bulk, Felix Vogel, Lawson Gillespie, Sebastien Ars, James France, David Lowry, Rebecca Fisher, and Thomas Röckmann

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3620', Anonymous Referee #1, 06 Feb 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Judith Tettenborn, 31 Mar 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3620', Anonymous Referee #2, 06 Feb 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Judith Tettenborn, 31 Mar 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3620', Anonymous Referee #1, 06 Feb 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Judith Tettenborn, 31 Mar 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3620', Anonymous Referee #2, 06 Feb 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Judith Tettenborn, 31 Mar 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Judith Tettenborn on behalf of the Authors (17 Apr 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (24 Apr 2025) by Dietrich G. Feist
AR by Judith Tettenborn on behalf of the Authors (07 May 2025)  Author's response   Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

31 Jul 2025
Improving consistency in methane emission quantification from the natural gas distribution systems across measurement devices
Judith Tettenborn, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Daan Stroeken, Hossein Maazallahi, Carina van der Veen, Arjan Hensen, Ilona Velzeboer, Pim van den Bulk, Felix Vogel, Lawson Gillespie, Sebastien Ars, James France, David Lowry, Rebecca Fisher, and Thomas Röckmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3569–3584, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3569-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3569-2025, 2025
Short summary
Judith Tettenborn, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Daan Stroeken, Hossein Maazallahi, Carina van der Veen, Arjan Hensen, Ilona Velzeboer, Pim van den Bulk, Felix Vogel, Lawson Gillespie, Sebastien Ars, James France, David Lowry, Rebecca Fisher, and Thomas Röckmann
Judith Tettenborn, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Daan Stroeken, Hossein Maazallahi, Carina van der Veen, Arjan Hensen, Ilona Velzeboer, Pim van den Bulk, Felix Vogel, Lawson Gillespie, Sebastien Ars, James France, David Lowry, Rebecca Fisher, and Thomas Röckmann

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Short summary
Measurements of methane with vehicle-based sensors are an effective method to identify and quantify leaks from urban gas distribution systems. We deliberately released methane in different environments, and calibrated the response of different methane analyzers when they transect the plumes in a vehicle. We derived an improved statistical function for consistent emission estimations using different instruments. Repeated transects reduce the uncertainty in emission rate estimates.
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