Algorithm for detection of gas flaring units and assessment of emissions
M.N. Alekseeva, I.G. Yashchenko
Institute of Petroleum Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the RAS, Tomsk, Russia
Keywords: температура земной поверхности, тепловые космические снимки Landsat-8, факельные установки, попутный нефтяной газ, загрязняющее вещество, атмосфера, temperature of the earth's surface, Landsat-8 thermal satellite images, flare units, associated petroleum gas, pollutant, atmosphere
Abstract
An automated algorithm is suggested for detection of gas flaring units. It is based on the calculation of the land temperature from Landsat 8 satellite imagery using two methods for retrieving the Earth’s surface temperature. The methods include calculation of the Earth’s surface emissivity and solution of the equation accounting the atmospheric water vapor content. The difference between Earth's surface temperature calculated and the temperatures measured at meteorological stations does not exceed 2 °C. Two gas flaring units were detected with the algorithm in Tomsk Oblast and in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Carbon monoxide prevails in the emissions associated with gas flaring. The emissions of carbon, nitrogen, and methane oxides significantly contribute to environmental degradation of oil and gas producing regions and to the greenhouse effect.
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