Articles tagged with Methane
Researchers found that less than two percent of Dutch North Sea abandoned wells leak methane from shallow gas accumulations. The study alleviates concerns from earlier German research that suggested one-third of all wells would leak methane.
Research finds that gamma radiation can convert methane into glycine and other complex molecules, potentially playing a role in the origin of life. The study also reveals new strategies for industrial conversion of methane under mild conditions.
A new paper assesses current and potential measures to cut US methane emissions in the oil and gas sector, proposing a complimentary, cost-effective strategy using anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic waste. Building ADs could reduce emissions by 31.5%, exceeding the 30x30 goal.
A new NASA-led study finds that the Earth's far northern permafrost region has become a net contributor to global warming due to methane emissions. The thawing permafrost is releasing stored carbon as greenhouse gases, shifting the region from being a sink to a source of warming.
Researchers discovered that Titan's icy surface is warmed by an insulating layer of methane clathrate ice, which relaxes the impact craters' shape. This finding helps explain Titan's unique hydrological cycle and climate.
A new study by University of Southern Denmark researchers reveals that microbes cling to iron surfaces using sticky enzymes, extracting nutrients without wasting energy. This efficient corrosion method poses environmental concerns due to methane production and potential climate change implications.
Researchers at Politecnico di Milano discovered that the ratio of CO2 to methane present in the reaction determines carbon build-up on catalysts. This finding paves the way for more efficient technologies and longer-lasting catalysts.
Researchers found that extreme temperatures and humidity projected for the Amazon under climate change may increase methane-producing microorganisms in flooded areas and reduce methane uptake in upland forests by 70%. This could lead to a shift in the balance of greenhouse gas emissions, with significant global impacts.
Researchers at the University of Bonn and Montreal developed a new catalyst that produces methane out of carbon dioxide and water in a highly efficient way using electricity. The process has an efficiency of over 80 percent and produces few side products.
A new study by Cornell University finds that liquefied natural gas (LNG) exported from the US has a one-third larger carbon footprint than coal when considering processing and shipping. LNG's extraction, processing, transportation, and storage account for approximately half of its total greenhouse gas footprint.
New research reveals methane emissions from slurry stores on dairy farms may be up to five times greater than official statistics suggest. Capturing and converting methane into biogas could reduce emissions and save farmers over £400 million a year in fuel costs.
Researchers propose that Mars' early thick atmosphere could have been locked up in the planet's clay surface due to slow chain reactions between rocks and gases. The clay is estimated to hold up to 80% of the initial, early atmosphere, potentially recovered and converted into propellant for future missions.
Juan Jimenez, a Goldhaber postdoctoral fellow at Brookhaven National Laboratory, has been recognized as a Blavatnik Awards Finalist for his work on developing new catalysts to convert greenhouse gases into industrially useful materials. His research focuses on minimizing hazardous byproducts and using solvent-free processes.
The McGill team's light-driven chemical process transforms methane and carbon dioxide into green methanol and carbon monoxide, producing highly valued products. The discovery offers a promising path towards Canada's net-zero emissions target by 2050 and provides a sustainable way to produce industrial products.
A novel catalyst Au/BiOx-TiO2 enhances oxidative methane coupling by activating C-H bonds and preventing overoxidation, yielding 97% selectivity for C2+ products. The photocatalyst demonstrates stable performance up to 50 hours and outperforms previous catalysts.
Researchers harvested climate-smart soybeans in a $5 million USDA project aiming to reduce GHG emissions while increasing crop production. The crop was grown using five climate-smart practices, including earlier planting and soil conservation.
Global methane emissions have risen by 61 million tons over the past two decades, primarily from coal mining, oil and gas production, and cattle ranching. Human activities are increasingly linked to wetland and freshwater methane emissions, posing a significant threat to climate change.
Researchers have engineered a catalyst that converts methane into methanol in a single step, reducing the need for multiple reactions and increasing efficiency. The new process has potential applications for local deployment of stranded natural gas reserves.
Researchers discovered that the iron nitrogenase can convert CO2 into methane and formic acid, making it a promising starting point for developing novel CO2 reductases. The enzyme's low selectivity for CO2 also suggests its potential for widespread use in nature.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals that dry land ecosystems in Alaska are releasing high levels of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The discovery challenges current climate models and suggests that permafrost thaw may accelerate global climate change.
A new study found that tree bark surfaces absorb methane gas from the atmosphere, making trees 10% more beneficial for climate than previously thought. This discovery adds a new layer of importance to tree planting and reducing deforestation as part of efforts to cut methane emissions.
An international team of scientists led by Dr Luis Guanter has documented the largest methane leak ever recorded in an oil well. The study reveals that this massive emission outperformed previous events such as Aliso Canyon, Ohio and Louisiana, releasing approximately 131 tonnes of methane into the atmosphere.
Research shows that methane fluxes in the North Sea vary with tidal pressure, with emissions potentially three times higher or lower depending on the tide. This affects climate science's understanding of methane emission from the seafloor.
A scientific study published in Scientific Reports found that much of the methane released from the Nord Stream gas pipeline leaked into the Baltic Sea and remained dissolved in the water. The researchers estimated between 10,000 to 50,000 tonnes of methane were left in the sea after the leak.
Researchers have discovered a novel transition-metal-free aluminosilicate ferrierite zeolite catalyst that enables direct conversion of methane to methanol. The new process achieves 305 π mol gˑ minǘ methanol production rate with high selectivity, presenting an environmentally friendly solution for converting greenhouse gases into valu...
A new UC Riverside study found that boreal forests in the northern hemisphere are particularly vulnerable to negative effects of cleaning up aerosol pollution. Reducing levels of human-made aerosols causes an increase in wildfires, especially in northern hemisphere forests.
Researchers developed a novel reactor design that efficiently converts CO2 emissions from small boilers into methane fuel. The design features a distributed feed and optimal gas mixture composition, resulting in improved temperature control and increased methane production.
A team of international researchers has measured the molecular diffusion coefficient of a supercritical fluid, revealing a gradual transition from gas-like to liquid-like behavior across the Widom line. This study contributes to our understanding of supercritical fluid dynamics and holds implications for planetary science.
The James Webb Space Telescope has provided the first measurements of an exoplanet's core mass, with WASP-107 b showing a thousand times less methane than expected. The planet's super-sized core and turbulent atmosphere are being studied to better understand how planetary atmospheres behave in extreme conditions.
A novel multifunctional catalyst has been developed to convert methane into valuable hydrocarbons, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. The catalyst's spatial distribution of Cu and acid sites determines the final products, with uniform distribution leading to stable and efficient methanol production.
A research team at Kyoto University has developed an AI method to automatically detect methane emissions globally, resolving trade-offs with existing detection methods. The system can identify small methane plumes, paving the way for systematic quantification of global warming.
A new study challenges the initial detection of a biosignature gas on K2-18b, suggesting that the data may be inconclusive. However, researchers believe it's possible for life to produce detectable levels of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the planet's atmosphere.
A new study led by Harvard researchers found that the EPA underestimates methane emissions from landfills and urban areas, with emissions being on median 77% higher than estimated. The team's high-resolution map of methane emissions highlights the importance of pinpointing sources of these emissions.
University of Sydney researchers have developed a chemical process using plasma that could create sustainable jet fuel from methane gas emitted from landfills. This process has the potential to eliminate the need for traditional and sustainable jet fuels, which add further emissions into the atmosphere. By capturing almost the exact co...
A Curtin University study found that breeding less-flatulent cows and restoring agricultural land can significantly reduce methane emissions from Australia's beef and dairy sectors. Researchers identified several strategies to lower emissions, including altering breeding objectives and improving wastewater management.
A new study finds landfill point source emissions have an outsized impact and opportunity to tackle US waste methane. Landfills are responsible for 14.3% of US methane emissions, emitting the equivalent of nearly 23 million gasoline-powered vehicles per year.
Scientists develop strategy to regulate electronic structure of single-atom catalysts, enhancing direct methane conversion efficiency. CO molecular decoration reduces C-H bond dissociation barrier, increasing catalyst activity and selectivity.
Scientists have developed a new model to accurately understand methane emissions in the region, finding that wetlands are producing more methane over time. This is due to the warming of these biomes, causing the stored carbon to be released into the atmosphere as methane, contributing to global warming.
Research reveals that methane emissions from US oil and gas operations amount to 6 million tons per year, costing the nation $10 billion annually. The study also found that midstream infrastructure is responsible for half of total emissions, highlighting the need for efforts concentrated on relatively few operations.
Research using historical satellite images shows that methane emissions in Turkmenistan increased following the Soviet Union's collapse, contradicting previous theories. This finding suggests that economic decline led to reduced oversight and more deliberate off-gassing of methane from oil and gas wells.
A team of researchers analyzed sunlight reflected by Titan's atmosphere, identifying over 100 signatures of the methane molecule. The findings also suggest possible evidence of the tricarbon molecule, a discovery that could shed light on the origin of life on Earth.
Researchers found that microbial viruses carry special genetic elements for controlling methane processes, called auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs). The study suggests that viral contributions to methane cycling are underestimated and deserve more attention.
A young researcher from the University of Copenhagen has made a surprising discovery of high concentrations of methane in meltwater from three Canadian mountain glaciers. The findings challenge previous assumptions that methane in meltwater could only be found in oxygen-free environments under large ice masses.
Researchers found evidence of hydrothermal or metamorphic activity within the icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake, which have methane deposits with geochemical origins. The discovery suggests elevated temperatures in their rocky cores, potentially leading to liquid water and habitability.
A new study from the University of Copenhagen reveals that Greenland consumes more methane than it releases, with dry landscapes absorbing over 65,000 tons annually. The study's findings contribute significantly to climate models and provide insights into the optimal soil conditions for methane uptake in the Arctic.
Researchers from Ohio State University tested upcoming telescopes' ability to detect chemical traces of oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane and water on 10 rocky exoplanets. The study found that two nearby worlds, Proxima Centauri b and GJ 887 b, are highly adept at detecting biosignatures with advanced telescopes.
Researchers found that tidal wetlands are not always less hospitable to methane-producing microbes as sea levels rise, with some sites emitting high levels of methane despite moderate saltwater influx. The study's results suggest complex factors governing methane emissions in natural landscapes, complicating predictions and models.
Researchers simulated how methane travels through underground fractures and is released into the atmosphere, predicting pulses just before Martian sunrise in the northern summer season. This corroborates previous rover data suggesting daily methane level fluctuations. The study informs the Curiosity rover's ongoing sampling campaign.
Researchers found 'puffs' of methane before Martian sunrise, suggesting optimal timing for Curiosity to collect data and gain insights into methane circulation and transport processes. The study uses computer models to simulate how methane moves beneath the Martian surface and mixes within the atmosphere.
Researchers have developed a new catalyst that exceeds 30% yield for the production of ethylene through oxidative coupling of methane, a more sustainable and economically viable method. The core-shell Li2CO3-coated mixed rare earth oxides catalyst enables sequential oxygen switching, replenishing its ability to provide oxygen for the r...
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have developed a method to remove low-concentration methane from air using UV light and chlorine. The technique has shown promise in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock housing, biogas production plants, and wastewater treatment plants.
A recent study published in PLOS ONE found that methane and nitrous oxide emissions from human breath could account for up to 0.1% of UK greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the potential impact of individual respiratory activity on climate change.
A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters sheds light on methane emissions from Arctic lakes and wetlands. Researchers found that small, unmapped lakes contribute only about 3% of the region's methane emissions, significantly reducing the cumulative amount previously thought to be emitted.
Researchers at Newcastle University found that climate change can cause frozen methane to melt and release methane into the sea. This process, known as hydrate dissociation, has significant implications for predicting and addressing the impact of methane on our changing climate.
The project aims to create a digital twin of the world's wetlands using satellite data, mathematical models, and artificial intelligence to monitor and reduce methane emissions. Dr Robert Parker from the University of Leicester will lead the project as one of 75 new Future Leaders Fellows.
The James Webb Space Telescope observed the exoplanet WASP-80 b and detected methane gas and water vapor in its atmosphere. This is the first detection of methane in an exoplanet's atmosphere using space-based spectroscopy.
Researchers have developed a novel photocatalyst system that enables the production of syngas from methane steam reforming under atmospheric pressure. The system harnesses sunlight to split methane and water into hydrogen and carbon monoxide, forming syngas.
Researchers at the University of California - Berkeley have developed a simple and green way to convert flared natural gas into economically valuable liquids, mostly alcohols like methanol and ethanol. The process utilizes a porous metal-organic framework (MOF) that mimics the oxygenation reaction in plants and animals.
Researchers discovered bacteria can produce methane in oxygen-saturated surface waters, using methylphosphonate as a phosphorus source. This process has significant effects on atmospheric greenhouse gases and the carbon cycle of nutrient-poor ocean regions.
Researchers created a one-dimensional flow model to simulate methane hydrate generation and distribution processes in the Nankai Trough. The study found that low-methane flux environments produce higher concentrations of methane hydrates, while high-methane flux regions have lower concentrations.