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Picture Courtesy: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/methane-emission-reduction-sask-1.6762784

Context: A drilling accident in Kazakhstan produced a fire that lasted a record six months, from June to December 2023. Recently, the leak has been stopped, and efforts are ongoing to permanently seal the well with cement.

Key Highlights

• The fire caused a huge methane leak, with an estimated 127,000 tons emitted into the atmosphere. Though the magnitude of this leak is difficult to understand, satellite instruments allowed scientists to detect the gas clouds from space, showing the leak's massiveness.
• Methane is a strong greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere.
• Fossil fuel usage is the primary source of human-caused methane emissions, accounting for around 40% of total emissions.
• Methane is an important driver of climate change, accounting for around 30% of the increase in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution.
• According to the US Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator, the environmental impact of this leak is equivalent to driving nearly 717,000 petrol-powered cars for a year.

About Methane leak

• Methane leaks are the unintended or intentional release of methane gas into the atmosphere. Methane is a natural gas that is formed when organic matter decomposes in the absence of oxygen. It is also a by-product of fossil fuel extraction and processing, as well as a waste product of livestock and rice cultivation.
• Methane has a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide (CO2), which means it traps more heat in the atmosphere per molecule.
• Major sources:
  • Methane can leak from Oil and gas facilities due to malfunctioning equipment, poor maintenance, or intentional evacuation to prevent explosions or pressure buildup.
  • Organic waste, such as food scraps, paper, wood, and garden waste, can leak methane when it decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen) in landfills.
  • Methane may leak from the digestive processes of ruminant animals like cows, sheep, and goats, as well as from flooded rice fields where microorganisms degrade organic waste in the waterlogged soil.
• Methane itself is not toxic, but it can react with other pollutants in the air to form ozone, which is a harmful gas that causes respiratory problems, asthma attacks, and premature deaths.
• Methane emissions have been rising rapidly since 2007, mainly due to increased activity by microbes that decompose organic matter in wetlands and livestock. This creates a vicious cycle, as rising temperatures enable more methane production, which then causes more warming.
• According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), cutting human-caused methane by 45% this decade would prevent 0.3°C of temperature rise by 2100. This would also have co-benefits for human health, air quality, and economic development.

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