Sovremennye problemy distantsionnogo zondirovaniya Zemli iz kosmosa, 2020, Vol. 17, No. 6, pp. 37-44
Variations in gas flaring in Russia observed using multispectral nighttime remote sensing
A.M. Matveev
1, 2 , M.N. Zhizhin
2, 3 , A.A. Poyda
4 1 Gubkin University, Moscow, Russia
2 Space Research Institute RAS, Moscow, Russia
3 Colorado School of Mines, Boulder, USA
4 Kurchatov Institute, Moscow, Russia
Accepted: 15.09.2020
DOI: 10.21046/2070-7401-2020-17-6-37-44
Associated petroleum gas (APG) is an inevitable by-product of oil extraction. In many cases, remote oil production facilities lack infrastructure for associated gas utilization which leads to the disposal of gas through flaring and venting. Gas flaring volumes are usually measured with flow meters; however, these estimates are not usually openly available. As such, spatiotemporal data from satellite remote sensing algorithm VIIRS Nightfire are analyzed within the boundaries of Russia. In this paper, we present major regional and company-level results for 2012–2018 in Russia. Then our estimates are compared with available officially reported data. An example of emergency event impact is examined. Possible economic losses from the gas flaring in Russia are discussed.
Keywords: multispectral remote sensing, Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), Nightfire, gas flaring, associated petroleum gas
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