[en] A protocol of agreement was signed on April 25, 1996 between the French Ministry of Environment and the President of Gaz de France (the French natural gas company) about the mastery and follow up of site rehabilitation of old dismantled gas factories. The protocol comprises three axes which will be developed during the 10 forthcoming years: the inventory and audit of sites, the evaluation of residual pollutions and the schedule of remedial actions using precise criteria. Sites will be classified into 5 categories according to their environmental impact and the depollution will be carried out using several techniques such as: water oxidation, on-site stabilization, soils and screenings washing, biologic treatments (fungicides). Short paper. (J.S.)

[en] In constructing new gas pipelines energy distribution companies are increasingly dealing with the question of which material has the lowest environmental impact. Gastec (Dutch gas research institute) and the 'Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden' (Centre for Environmental Studies of the University of Leiden) studied and compared the environmental aspects of such materials. The study concerns the entire life cycle from raw materials production through digging and welding or fusion joining to the moment the materials are discarded as waste. 2 figs

[en] The Whaleback is a ridge ca 120 km south of Calgary, Alberta, and is the largest relatively pristine montane ecoregion remaining in Canada. Amoco Canada applied to construct a road and sour gas well in this environmentally significant region and a hearing was held by the Energy Resources Conservation Board to consider various issues related to the application. Intervenors at the hearings included various environmental groups, native federations, and a variety of individuals and small businesses. Amoco contended that the exploratory well had 10-38% chance of finding gas and that it would take 150-200 days to complete the drilling. Intervenors expressed concerns about the risk to health, safety, livestock operations, recreational areas, wildlife protection, and preservation of significant ecological and archeological sites. The Board decision criticized the Amoco application with respect to the lack of evidence to support predictions regarding probability of finding gas and the size of the reservoir; the choice of well lcoation; and Amoco's deficient public consultation program. The Board also agreed with environmental intervenors that the ecological integrity of the Whaleback region must be preserved, and that existing land use policies mandated giving priority to protection of ecological and wildlife values. The Board thus concluded Amoco's application was not in the public interest. The Board's decision is seen as setting an important precedent against which proposed energy developments in ecologically sensitive areas may be measured. 2 figs

[en] During the processing and refining of natural gas the working areas and ambient air can be polluted by emission of specific pollutants. The natural gas from gas and gas-condensate fields Molve, Stari Gradac and Kalinovac near Bjelovar in northern Croatia contains high levels of hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans. At the central gas station located in the gas field Molve the sour gas from all fields is collected and cleaned by absorption of sulphur compounds in K₂CO₃ solution before emission to the atmosphere

[en] The invention relates to an method on reducing the emission of carbon oxides during methanol production. (a) A first part of the natural feeding gas is to be converted to synthesis gas consisting of CO, H₂, CO₂, H₂O and non-converted natural gas. (b) A second part of the natural feeding gas is to be combusted for the generation of heat used in the conversion process by means of which the volumes of CO₂ and H₂O are formed. (c) The synthesis gas from (a) is to be converted to a product gas flow consisting of methanol and non-converted synthesis gas. (d) The product gas flow from (c) is to be cooled, and methanol is to be separated. (e) A first part of the non-converted gas from the separation step (d) is to be combined with the synthesis gas from (a). (f) A second part of the non-converted gas from the separation step (d) together with CO₂ and H₂O from step (b) is to be led to a shift reactor for making the equilibrium of CO, H₂, CO, and H₂O. (g) CO from step (f) is to be converted with methanol from step (d) for production of acetic acid. 1 fig

[en] Problems of emissions arising from the combustion of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels are discussed. The maximum permissible concentrations of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide are given for energy and power generating facilities of 0.2 to 5 MW thermal output. The advantage of electricity generation and centralized heat supply experienced at the site of consumption is partly offset by the disadvantage of a large environmental burden at the site where electricity is generated and/or water heated. (J.B.). 1 tab

[en] The U.S. EPA and the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have suggested that global warming could be reduced if more energy was generated using natural gas rather than fuels such as coal. An increased use of natural gas instead of coal would decrease global warming since methane emits less carbon dioxide (CO₂) than any fossil fuel. However, methane is a more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO₂, and leakage from the gas system could reduce or eliminate the inherent advantage of natural gas. For this reason, methane emissions must be quantified before a national policy on preferred fuels is developed. Therefore, GRI and EPA have developed this confunded program to quantify methane emissions from the U.S. gas industry. This paper presents, for general industry review, the approach and methodology that the project is using to determine the emissions. The study will measure or calculate all gas industry methane emissions - from production at the wellhead, through the system, to the customer's meter. When these data are combined with data from other studies, a definitive comparison of the relative environmental impact of using methane versus other fuels will be possible. The study will also provide data that can be used by the industry to identify cost-effective mitigation techniques to reduce losses. The methane emissions project is being conducted in three phases: the first two phases have identified and ranked all known potential methane-emitting sources and established methods for measuring, calculating, and extrapolating emissions from those sources. The third phase, which is currently in progress, will gather sufficient data to achieve the accuracy goal. This paper briefly summarizes the methodology being used for the completion of the third phase

[en] Methane leaking from buried natural gas distribution and transmission systems can be oxidized at least in part by the soil microbial community (mainly by methanotrophs). Two sites near Washington State University (Pullman, WA) have been used since summer 1992 to determine the potential of subsurface microbes to oxizide methane over a wide range of simulated leak rates and to determine the influence of soil parameters on oxidation rates. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) tracer is being used to quantify the subsurface diffusion associated with gas leakage. Our preliminary flux measurement results indicate that at low leakage rates (1 ml/min.) and under favorable environmental conditions about 80 to 90% of methane can be oxidized. Rates of methane consumption are strongly dependent on soil temperature and moisture content. The results also indicate that methane oxidation is accompanied by oxygen consumption and production of carbon dioxide. Soil gas samples from subsurface layers indicate that methane oxidation is predominant in the top 6 to 12 inches of subsurface horizon. During the winter period when the ground was frozen oxidation rates declined dramatically

[en] Lone Pine Resources Ltd. is proposing to further develop a gas field in the Freeflight Lake area of the Great Sand Hills of Saskatchewan. This land is considered environmentally sensitive and warrants an environmental impact statement. This environmental impact statement addresses the initial phase of development of 58 wells at 160 acre spacing and the associated gathering system, however it can be generalized to subsequent developments. The statement includes a project description, description of the existing environment, public consultation and community involvement, environmental impact assessment, environmental sensitivity evaluation, general environmental protection measures, site specific protection measures, reclamation techniques, and environmental monitoring. 6 figs

[en] Missouri's first gas works began operation in 1845 (St. Louis). By 1900, gas works operated in many northern-Missouri coal belt towns, major cities, and Hannibal and Cape Girardeau (Mississippi River supply). Today's 40-odd former manufactured gas plant (FMPGs) sites are fiscal nightmares for parent utility companies; all hazardous waste groups are prevalent to the plants. Tar residuals may migrate along/through geologic anomalies. Tar-water emulsions typically were disposed in tar wells or nearby drainages or many times plumbed directly into sewers, which typically leaked into the environment at unpredictable down gradient locations. Just as well site geologic characteristics and current groundwater usage may render FMPGs relatively harmless from the human exposure standpoint. Geologic deduction, photo interpretation, careful subsurface exploration and engineering geophysics can locate hot spots and delimit contaminant migration. Many types of historic documents chronicle changes in plant character and equipment, as well as mode of operation. Without such details, mistakes in characterization are likely and errors in risk assessment and selection of remedial technologies are possible