Mexico released “extraordinary” amounts of methane from a natural gas pipeline running through Durango, a study published Tuesday found, citing data collected by satellites.
Methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and warms the planet much faster in the short term than carbon dioxide, is considered one of the Major threats to the climate.
Scientists at Harvard University, led by Mark Watin and Daniel Varon, have discovered hot spot in Durango which released thousands of metric tons of methane in two months.
Vatin said the team was able to trace a methane leak in the El Encino-La Laguna pipeline, which runs through the states of Chihuahua and Durango and transports natural gas from the United States to Mexico.
“Our analysis shows that between April and May of that year, releases occurred from several different parts of the pipeline,” Vatin said in an interview. “Not everything came from one place,” he added.
According to scientists, on May 12, 2019, from one location emitted from 260 to 550 tons of methane per hour, a total of 1130 to 1380 tons in three hours.
It was unclear what caused the emissions or which company was responsible for them. According to government documents, the pipeline is owned by the state-owned electricity company. CFE is operated by Fermaca Pipeline El Encino.
CFE did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and contact information for Fermaca Pipeline El Encino is not listed in public documents.
Scientists said Mexican companies, including state oil company Pemex, are failing to meet their obligations to identify, report and reduce emissions from their infrastructure.
In September 2022, another team discovered two methane leaks from Pemex infrastructure at the Ku Malob Zaap oil complex in the Gulf of Mexico.
Methane, the main component of natural gas, is invisible and odorless. However, in recent years, satellite technology has evolved to make their detection possible and more accurate.
The latest study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Reuters).
Source: Aristegui Noticias
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
