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METHANE: INDUSTRIAL SOURCES
Citation:
Beck*, L L. METHANE: INDUSTRIAL SOURCES. Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change. John Wiley & Sons Incorporated, New York, NY, (2001).
Description:
The chapter provides qualitative information on the magnitude of industrial sources of methane and, where possible, provides information to allow the reader to quantify methane emissions. One difficulty in quantifying methane emissions from industry is the inconsistent treatment of sources in the industrial sector. Some sources (e.g., natural gas industry) are not characterized here because of more detailed coverage elsewhere in the volume. However, much is known about methane emissions from industrial sources, and the chapter presents what is known and gives a perspective of magnitude. Industrial wastewater treatment lagoons, industrial combustion sources, and the petroleum industry are the most significant sources of methane emissions presented in this chapter. (NOTE: Methane emissions are increasing in Earth's atmosphere. The exact mechanisms responsible for the increase are not known well enough to quantify accurately. Part of the increase is due to natural processes such as decay of organic material, and some of the change is caused by chemical reactions in the atmosphere. It is widely accepted that the greatest magnitude of the change in atmospheric concentrations of methane is due to anthropogenic (human) activity. Part of this increase is the result of direct activity and part of indirect activity. Sources described here are direct activities.