Google and Environmental Defense Fund Partner to Track Oil and Gas Methane Leaks from Space

Highlights

• Google and Environmental Defense Fund collaborate to monitor methane emissions from oil and gas operations.
• MethaneSAT, a new satellite, will launch next month to detect methane leaks globally.
• Google Cloud will process data from MethaneSAT to create a map of oil and gas infrastructure.
• Artificial intelligence will identify components prone to leaks, aiding in mitigation efforts.
• The initiative comes amid growing efforts to reduce methane emissions, with over 50 major oil and gas operators pledging to minimize leaks.

Google and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have announced a groundbreaking partnership aimed at identifying sources of climate-warming emissions from oil and gas operations. This initiative involves the use of a new satellite called MethaneSAT, which is set to launch next month. MethaneSAT, developed in collaboration with the New Zealand Space Agency, Harvard University, and other partners, is part of a broader effort to monitor methane emissions worldwide.

The data collected by MethaneSAT will be processed using Google Cloud’s computing capabilities, enabling the creation of a comprehensive map of oil and gas infrastructure. Utilizing artificial intelligence, Google will identify components such as oil tanks to better understand which equipment is most prone to leaks. This information will be made available through Google Earth Engine, a geospatial analysis platform, later this year.

The launch of MethaneSAT comes at a critical time, with governments increasingly focused on reducing methane emissions. Over 50 major oil and gas operators, including industry giants like ExxonMobil and Saudi Aramco, have pledged to minimize methane leaks to near zero by the end of the decade. In the United States, proposed regulations aim to address methane leaks from oil and gas operations, with the public being encouraged to report large leaks to federal regulators.

Overall, this partnership between Google and EDF represents a significant step forward in the global effort to combat climate change by identifying and mitigating methane emissions from oil and gas activities.