scholarly journals Distributions of air pollutants associated with oil and natural gas development measured in the Upper Green River Basin of Wyoming

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 000074 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Field ◽  
J.J. Soltis ◽  
P. Pérez-Ballesta ◽  
E. Grandesso ◽  
D.C. Montague
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Green River Basin ◽  
Green River ◽  
Natural Gas Development ◽  
Oil And Natural Gas ◽  
Upper Green River Basin

Upper Green River Basin (United States) Streamflow Reconstructions

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 567-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Anthony Barnett ◽  
Stephen T. Gray ◽  
Glenn A. Tootle
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Green River Basin ◽  
Green River ◽  
Streamflow Reconstructions ◽  
Upper Green River Basin

scholarly journals Strong wintertime ozone events in the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 17953-18005 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Rappenglück ◽  
L. Ackermann ◽  
S. Alvarez ◽  
J. Golovko ◽  
M. Buhr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Reactive Nitrogen ◽  
Oh Radicals ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
Snow Surface ◽  
Green River Basin ◽  
Green River ◽  
Early Afternoon ◽  
Upper Green River Basin

Abstract. During recent years, elevated ozone (O3) values have been observed repeatedly in the Upper Green River Basin (UGRB), Wyoming during wintertime. This paper presents an analysis of high ozone days in late winter 2011 (1 h average up to 166 ppbv). Intensive Operational Periods (IOPs) of ambient monitoring were performed which included comprehensive surface and boundary layer measurements. On IOP days, maximum O3 values are restricted to a very shallow surface layer. Low wind speeds in combination with low mixing layer heights (~50 m a.g.l. around noontime) are essential for accumulation of pollutants within the UGRB. Air masses contain substantial amounts of reactive nitrogen (NOx) and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) emitted from fossil fuel exploration activities in the Pinedale Anticline. On IOP days in the morning hours in particular, reactive nitrogen (up to 69%), aromatics and alkanes (~10–15%; mostly ethane and propane) are major contributors to the hydroxyl (OH) reactivity. Measurements at the Boulder monitoring site during these time periods under SW wind flow conditions show the lowest NMHC/NOx ratios (~50), reflecting a relatively low NMHC mixture, and a change from a NOx-limited regime towards a NMHC limited regime as indicated by photochemical indicators, e.g. O3/NOy, O3/NOz, and O3/HNO3 and the EOR (Extent of Reaction). OH production on IOP days is mainly due to nitrous acid (HONO). Until noon on IOP days, HONO photolysis contributes between 74–98% of the entire OH-production. Ozone photolysis (contributing 2–24%) is second to HONO photolysis. However, both reach about the same magnitude in the early afternoon (close to 50%). Photolysis of formaldehyde (HCHO) is not important (2–7%). High HONO levels (maximum hourly median on IOP days: 1096 pptv) are favored by a combination of shallow boundary layer conditions and enhanced photolysis rates due to the high albedo of the snow surface. HONO is most likely formed through (i) abundant nitric acid (HNO3) produced in atmospheric oxidation of NOx, deposited onto the snow surface and undergoing photo-enhanced heterogeneous conversion to HONO (estimated HONO production: 2250 pptv h−1) and (ii) combustion related emission of HONO (estimated HONO production: ~585 pptv h−1). HONO, serves as the most important precursor for OH, strongly enhanced due to the high albedo of the snow cover (HONO photolysis rate 2900 pptv h−1). OH radicals will oxidize NMHCs, mostly aromatics (toluene, xylenes) and alkanes (ethane, propane), eventually leading to an increase in ozone.

scholarly journals Hazardous Air Pollutants Associated with Upstream Oil and Natural Gas Development: A Critical Synthesis of Current Peer-Reviewed Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 283-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane A. Garcia-Gonzales ◽  
Seth B.C. Shonkoff ◽  
Jake Hays ◽  
Michael Jerrett
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hazardous Air Pollutants ◽  
Adverse Health Outcomes ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Natural Gas Development ◽  
The Us ◽  
Oil And Natural Gas

Increased energy demands and innovations in upstream oil and natural gas (ONG) extraction technologies have enabled the United States to become one of the world's leading producers of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists 187 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects. Several of these HAPs have been measured at elevated concentrations around ONG sites, but most have not been studied in the context of upstream development. In this review, we analyzed recent global peer-reviewed articles that investigated HAPs near ONG operations to ( a) identify HAPs associated with upstream ONG development, ( b) identify their specific sources in upstream processes, and ( c) examine the potential for adverse health outcomes from HAPs emitted during these phases of hydrocarbon development.

scholarly journals Barrier Wind Formation in the Upper Green River Basin of Sublette County, Wyoming, and Its Relationship to Elevated Ozone Distributions in Winter

2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 2427-2442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittni R. Emery ◽  
Derek C. Montague ◽  
Robert A. Field ◽  
Thomas R. Parish
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Green River Basin ◽  
Green River ◽  
Elevated Ozone ◽  
Sublette County ◽  
Ozone Episodes ◽  
Upper Green River Basin

AbstractMeteorological factors affect the concentrations and distributions of pollutants during episodes of degraded air quality. Over the last 10 years, the upper Green River basin (UGRB) of Sublette County, Wyoming, has experienced numerous wintertime ozone episodes stimulated by emissions from oil and natural gas development operations, resulting in the region being determined to be in marginal nonattainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Examination of surface wind field patterns in the UGRB using observations from a network of surface monitoring stations for 2011 and 2012, with an emphasis on ozone-episode days, confirms that increased ozone concentrations are most frequently measured on days on which winds are light and variable. Dispersion and dilution of ozone and its precursor pollutants on these days is therefore inefficient, and so these episodes invariably occur within and close by the gas fields. On days that instead experience afternoon southeasterly winds, episodes can often be observed at locations on the northwestern perimeter of the basin remote from pollutant source regions. Simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model, conducted for the case study of 15 February 2011, identify these southeasterlies as barrier winds caused by southwesterly flow at 700 hPa impinging on the Wind River Mountains that flank the UGRB to the northeast. Characterization of the barrier wind and the overall airflow patterns facilitates more accurate future forecasting of the time-dependent geographical distribution of increased concentrations of ozone and other pollutants in the region.

scholarly journals Strong wintertime ozone events in the Upper Green River basin, Wyoming

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 4909-4934 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Rappenglück ◽  
L. Ackermann ◽  
S. Alvarez ◽  
J. Golovko ◽  
M. Buhr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Reactive Nitrogen ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Oh Radicals ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
Snow Surface ◽  
Green River Basin ◽  
Green River ◽  
Upper Green River Basin

Abstract. During recent years, elevated ozone (O3) values have been observed repeatedly in the Upper Green River basin (UGRB), Wyoming, during wintertime. This paper presents an analysis of high ozone days in late winter 2011 (1 h average up to 166 ppbv – parts per billion by volume). Intensive operational periods (IOPs) of ambient monitoring were performed, which included comprehensive surface and boundary layer measurements. On IOP days, maximum O3 values are restricted to a very shallow surface layer. Low wind speeds in combination with low mixing layer heights (~ 50 m above ground level around noontime) are essential for accumulation of pollutants within the UGRB. Air masses contain substantial amounts of reactive nitrogen (NOx) and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) emitted from fossil fuel exploration activities in the Pinedale Anticline. On IOP days particularly in the morning hours, reactive nitrogen (up to 69%), aromatics and alkanes (~ 10–15%; mostly ethane and propane) are major contributors to the hydroxyl (OH) reactivity. Measurements at the Boulder monitoring site during these time periods under SW wind flow conditions show the lowest NMHC / NOx ratios (~ 50), reflecting a relatively low reactive NMHC mixture, and a change from a NOx-limited regime towards a NMHC-limited regime as indicated by photochemical indicators, e.g., O3 /NOy, O3 /NOz, and O3 / HNO3 and the EOR (extent of reaction). OH production on IOP days is mainly due to nitrous acid (HONO). On a 24 h basis and as determined for a measurement height of 1.80 m above the surface HONO photolysis on IOP days can contribute ~ 83% to OH production on average, followed by alkene ozonolysis (~ 9%). Photolysis by ozone and HCHO photolysis contribute about 4% each to hydroxyl formation. High HONO levels (maximum hourly median on IOP days: 1096 pptv – parts per trillion by volume) are favored by a combination of shallow boundary layer conditions and enhanced photolysis rates due to the high albedo of the snow surface. HONO is most likely formed through (i) abundant nitric acid (HNO3) produced in atmospheric oxidation of NOx, deposited onto the snow surface and undergoing photo-enhanced heterogeneous conversion to HONO (estimated HONO production: 10.2 ± 40% ppbv h−1) and (ii) combustion-related emission of HONO (estimated HONO production: ~ 0.1 ± 30% ppbv h−1). HONO production is confined to the lowermost 10 m of the boundary layer. HONO, serves as the most important precursor for OH, strongly enhanced due to the high albedo of the snow cover (HONO photolysis rate 10.7 ± 30% ppbv h−1). OH radicals will oxidize NMHCs, mostly aromatics (toluene, xylenes) and alkanes (ethane, propane), eventually leading to an increase in ozone.

Case Study of Drought Frequency and Risk Analysis in the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 888-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Bellamy ◽  
Glenn Tootle ◽  
Snehalata Huzurbazar ◽  
Larry Pochop ◽  
Anthony Barnett
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Drought Frequency ◽  
Green River Basin ◽  
Green River ◽  
Upper Green River Basin
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