Methane and Climate Change

Methane and Climate Change
Author: Dave Reay
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2010-08-12
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1136541527

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and is estimated to be responsible for approximately one-fifth of man-made global warming. Per kilogram, it is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 100-year time horizon -- and global warming is likely to enhance methane release from a number of sources. Current natural and man-made sources include many where methane-producing micro-organisms can thrive in anaerobic conditions, particularly ruminant livestock, rice cultivation, landfill, wastewater, wetlands and marine sediments. This timely and authoritative book provides the only comprehensive and balanced overview of our current knowledge of sources of methane and how these might be controlled to limit future climate change. It describes how methane is derived from the anaerobic metabolism of micro-organisms, whether in wetlands or rice fields, manure, landfill or wastewater, or the digestive systems of cattle and other ruminant animals. It highlights how sources of methane might themselves be affected by climate change. It is shown how numerous point sources of methane have the potential to be more easily addressed than sources of carbon dioxide and therefore contribute significantly to climate change mitigation in the 21st century.

Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States

Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 251
Release: 2018-08-25
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309470501

Understanding, quantifying, and tracking atmospheric methane and emissions is essential for addressing concerns and informing decisions that affect the climate, economy, and human health and safety. Atmospheric methane is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) that contributes to global warming. While carbon dioxide is by far the dominant cause of the rise in global average temperatures, methane also plays a significant role because it absorbs more energy per unit mass than carbon dioxide does, giving it a disproportionately large effect on global radiative forcing. In addition to contributing to climate change, methane also affects human health as a precursor to ozone pollution in the lower atmosphere. Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States summarizes the current state of understanding of methane emissions sources and the measurement approaches and evaluates opportunities for methodological and inventory development improvements. This report will inform future research agendas of various U.S. agencies, including NOAA, the EPA, the DOE, NASA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Methane Hydrates in Quaternary Climate Change

Methane Hydrates in Quaternary Climate Change
Author: James P. Kennett
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2003-01-10
Genre: Nature
ISBN:

Recent discoveries from ice-core and marine sediments suggest that global climate systems can change from glacial to near-interglacial temperatures within decades. In order to explain this phenomenon, the authors (all affiliated with the Department of Geological Sciences, U. of California) advance a hypothesis that suggests that the massive energy needed for these changes came for the release of "frozen" methane hydrates (clathrates) stored in marine sediments on continental margins. They argue that the release of the methane caused feedback processes that would explain the surprisingly rapid changes. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

Natural Gas and Renewable Methane for Powertrains

Natural Gas and Renewable Methane for Powertrains
Author: Richard van Basshuysen
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 491
Release: 2016-02-04
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3319232258

This book focuses on natural gas and synthetic methane as contemporary and future energy sources. Following a historical overview, physical and chemical properties, occurrence, extraction, transportation and storage of natural gas are discussed. Sustainable production of natural gas and methane as well as production and storage of synthetic methane are scrutinized next. A substantial part of the book addresses construction of vehicles for natural and synthetic methane as well as large engines for industrial and maritime use. The last chapters present some perspectives on further uses of renewable liquid fuels as well as natural gas for industrial engines and gas power plants.

Methane Gas Hydrate

Methane Gas Hydrate
Author: Ayhan Demirbas
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2010-02-28
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1848828721

Gas hydrates represent one of the world’s largest untapped reservoirs of energy and, according to some estimates, have the potential to meet global energy needs for the next thousand years. "Methane Gas Hydrate" examines this potential by focusing on methane gas hydrate, which is increasingly considered a significant source of energy. "Methane Gas Hydrate" gives a general overview of natural gas, before delving into the subject of gas hydrates in more detail and methane gas hydrate in particular. As well as discussing methods of gas production, it also discusses the safety and environmental concerns associated with the presence of natural gas hydrates, ranging from their possible impact on the safety of conventional drilling operations to their influence on Earth’s climate. "Methane Gas Hydrate" is a useful reference on an increasingly popular energy source. It contains valuable information for chemical engineers and researchers, as well as for postgraduate students.

Realizing the Energy Potential of Methane Hydrate for the United States

Realizing the Energy Potential of Methane Hydrate for the United States
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2009-07-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309148898

Natural gas, composed mostly of methane, is the cleanest of all the fossil fuels, emitting 25-50% less carbon dioxide than either oil or coal for each unit of energy produced. In recent years, natural gas supplied approximately 20-25% of all energy consumed in the United States. Methane hydrate is a potentially enormous and as yet untapped source of methane. The Department of Energy's Methane Hydrate Research and Development Program has been tasked since 2000 to implement and coordinate a national methane hydrate research effort to stimulate the development of knowledge and technology necessary for commercial production of methane from methane hydrate in a safe and environmentally responsible way. Realizing the Energy Potential of Methane Hydrate for the United States evaluates the program's research projects and management processes since its congressional re-authorization in 2005, and presents recommendations for its future research and development initiatives.

Coal Bed Methane

Coal Bed Methane
Author: Pramod Thakur
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 460
Release: 2020-04-03
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0128159979

Coal Bed Methane: Theories and Applications, Second Edition, captures the full lifecycle of a coal bed methane well and offers petroleum geologists and engineers a single source for a broad range of coal bed methane (CBM) applications. The vast coal resources in the United States continue to produce tremendous amounts of natural gas, contributing to a diverse range of energy assets. This book addresses crucial technical topics, including exploration and evaluation of coal bed reservoirs, hydraulic fracturing of CBM wells, coal seam degasification, and production engineering and processing, among others. The book also covers legal issues and permitting, along with an economic analysis of CBM projects. This new edition includes information on new and established research and applications, making it relevant for field geologists and engineers, as well as students.

Gaseous Carbon Waste Streams Utilization

Gaseous Carbon Waste Streams Utilization
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2019-02-22
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309483360

In the quest to mitigate the buildup of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere, researchers and policymakers have increasingly turned their attention to techniques for capturing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, either from the locations where they are emitted or directly from the atmosphere. Once captured, these gases can be stored or put to use. While both carbon storage and carbon utilization have costs, utilization offers the opportunity to recover some of the cost and even generate economic value. While current carbon utilization projects operate at a relatively small scale, some estimates suggest the market for waste carbon-derived products could grow to hundreds of billions of dollars within a few decades, utilizing several thousand teragrams of waste carbon gases per year. Gaseous Carbon Waste Streams Utilization: Status and Research Needs assesses research and development needs relevant to understanding and improving the commercial viability of waste carbon utilization technologies and defines a research agenda to address key challenges. The report is intended to help inform decision making surrounding the development and deployment of waste carbon utilization technologies under a variety of circumstances, whether motivated by a goal to improve processes for making carbon-based products, to generate revenue, or to achieve environmental goals.

Emergency and Continuous Exposure Limits for Selected Airborne Contaminants

Emergency and Continuous Exposure Limits for Selected Airborne Contaminants
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 118
Release: 1984-02-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780309077736

This document is one in a series prepared by the Committee that form the basis of the recommendations for EELs and CELs for selected chemicals. Since the Committee began recommending EELs and CELs for its military sponsors (U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force), the scope of its recommendations has been expanded in response to a request by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The CELs, in particular, grew out of a Navy request for exposure limits for atmospheric contaminants in submarines. The EELs and CELs have been used as design criteria by the sponsors in considering the suitability of materials for particular missions (as in a submarine or a spacecraft) and in assessing the habitability of particular enclosed environments. They are recommended for narrowly defined occupational groups and are not intended for application in general industrial settings or as exposure limits for the general public.

Atmospheric Methane

Atmospheric Methane
Author: Mohammad Aslam Khan Khalil
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 370
Release: 2013-03-14
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3662041456

Methane is an important greenhouse gas that can cause global warming. The present concentrations of methane are nearly three times higher than several hundred years ago. Today, more than 60% of the atmospheric methane comes from human activities, including rice agriculture, coal mining, natural gas usage, biomass burning, and raising of cattle. Methane affects the stratospheric ozone layer and the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere, which in turn control the concentrations of many man-made and natural gases in the atmosphere. This book brings together our knowledge of the trends and the causes behind the increased levels of methane. Based on the scientific information on the sources and sinks, and the role of methane in global warming, strategies to limit emissions can be designed as part of a program to control future global warming.