2016/04/27 by E. A. Kort, M. L. Smith, Lee T. Murray +6 · 2 citations
Chemistry · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Atmosphere (unit) #Atmospheric Ozone and Climate #Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics #Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols #Atmospheric sciences #Chemistry #Environmental science #Fossil fuel #Geography #Geology #Hydrocarbon #Meteorology #Oil shale #Ozone #Paleontology #Shale gas #Shale oil #Shale oil extraction #Troposphere #Tropospheric ozone
paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/2016gl068703
openalex publication_date 2016/04/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
Abstract Ethane is the second most abundant atmospheric hydrocarbon, exerts a strong influence on tropospheric ozone, and reduces the atmosphere's oxidative capacity. Global observations showed declining ethane abundances from 1984 to 2010, while a regional measurement indicated increasing levels since 2009, with the reason for this subject to speculation. The Bakken shale is an oil and gas‐producing formation centered in North Dakota that experienced a rapid increase in production beginning in 2010. We use airborne data collected over the North Dakota portion of the Bakken shale in 2014 to calculate ethane emissions of 0.23 ± 0.07 (2 σ ) Tg/yr, equivalent to 1–3% of total global sources. Emissions of this magnitude impact air quality via concurrent increases in tropospheric ozone. This recently developed large ethane source from one location illustrates the key role of shale oil and gas production in rising global ethane levels.