Exhibition Gallery

Natural gas has been promoted as a cleaner alternative to coal. However, methane leakage from the oil and gas supply chain may undermine this fuel's relative climate advantages and more studies are needed to evaluate the extent of the problem. I have been working with a Civil and Environmental Engineering research team measuring and analyzing methane leakage from oil and gas piping in West Virginia. While in the field, my colleagues and I collected data on oil and gas infrastructure, including locations of pipelines and pipeline junctions, by walking lines and mapping locations of leaks. I then worked to determine the number of pipeline leaks per unit length of piping in West Virginia and created a visual map of the organization of gathering pipeline (pipeline connecting wellheads to larger transmission piping).

Measurement of Methane Leakage for Abandoned Oil and Gas Piping in West Virginia

Kara Bressler ’19

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton Environmental Institute

Natural gas has been promoted as a cleaner alternative to coal. However, methane leakage from the oil and gas supply chain may undermine this fuel’s relative climate advantages and more studies are needed to evaluate the extent of the problem. I have been working with a Civil and Environmental Engineering research team measuring and analyzing methane leakage from oil and gas piping in West Virginia. While in the field, my colleagues and I collected data on oil and gas infrastructure, including locations of pipelines and pipeline junctions, by walking lines and mapping locations of leaks. I then worked to determine the number of pipeline leaks per unit length of piping in West Virginia and created a visual map of the organization of gathering pipeline (pipeline connecting wellheads to larger transmission piping).