Natural Gas-based Economy and Methane Emission: A challenge

Dr. Anand Kumar Tewari Former Executive Director Indian Oil, Pipelines Division; Chairman AMPP (Formerly NACE) India and Member Governing Council of Natural Gas Society

Preamble

Decarbonization of energy sector is urgent and vital needs for counties for managing earth temperature within 2 Deg C of pre-industrial era. Paris protocols, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their monitoring mechanism is driving more than 190 countries in the direction. India too as committed to achieve net zero by 2070, However, most of the energy companies have announced the target of net zero around 2050 only. India has taken vital and bold steps for decarbonization of energy sector.

India energy sector and emergence

India is witnessing accelerated growth for last more than a decade and likely to continue for the next decade. India a 3rd largest energy consumer, but import dependent on energy, we import nearly 87 % of Crude oil out of total requirement, nearly ?50 % of natural gas as LNG ?and nearly 50 % of LPG etc.) The decarbonization of energy sector is benefitting India in dual manner, on one hand it is indigenization of energy sources and other major emphasis of alternative fuels for reduction of carbon intensity. Penetration of greater low carbon emission fuels like Bio fuels (Bio CNG, Bio Diesel) etc. , blending of Ethanol in MS by 20 % , thus? domestically produced ?ethanol is occupying energy space with direct benefit to ?producers farmers, small industries etc. ?Larger ??penetration of EVs, Green Hydrogen, large scale capacity addition of renewable energy,? recent announcement of incentives for solar on roof tops are some of the initiatives . Achieving more than 40 % share of non-fossil fuels in installed power capacity is a remarkable achievement.

Growth of Indian Natural ?Gas Sector

India decided to increase share ?of Natural Gas from existing over 6 % to 15 % of the primary energy mix. ?by 2030. This would be more than double of the present gas consumption and would reach to a level 550 MMSCMD from 188-190 MMSCMD today. Obviously, an ambitious target. Accordingly, focus shifted for infrastructure creation of Gas pipelines, Creation of new LNG import terminal as well upgradation of existing terminals. Creation of large-scale Gas distribution network as CGD to reach every nook and corner of the country (targeting over 968 % of Geographical Area). It is understood after last round of bidding only Islands like Andamans, Lakshadweep etc entire land of country has been covered for gas distribution. ?Blending of Bio Gas with natural gas, Coal Bed Methane (CBM) synthetization as Natural gas, blending of green hydrogen / hydrogen with natural gas in gas pipelines etc. are some of ecofriendly indigenous initiatives.

India aims to become major hub for Green Hydrogen export and accordingly renewable energy capacity addition is progressing at an accelerated pace, which is prerequisite for green hydrogen. Leading private players like Reliance, Adanis, Tata or giant PSUs Like NTPC, ONGC, GAIL, IOC other energy sector companies ??are equally contributing to achieve > 450 GW of green power by 2030. ?The concept of green hydrogen hub, would be a game changer for India as Crude Oil / Gas is presently ??sellers’ market guided by OPEC, thus has high price volatility. Natural gas a fossil fuel with low emission compared to counterpart like HSD, MS (Petrol) etc, thus would be feasible practical alternative for emission reduction. Hydrogen with tail pipe emission as water vapor is truly environmentally benign with no emission. Indian Railway announced trial of hydrogen based train by December 2024. With announcement of National Hydrogen Mission India is progressing well but re[placing the fossil fuel? is still a distant dream.

Methane ( Natural gas ) Emission

However, large scale infrastructure of LNG regassification, trunk pipelines, distribution lines, distribution system as City Gas Distribution (CGD) is highly vulnerable to gas leakages in small quantities, which may go, often unnoticed, as gas ??being lighter than air and escapes easily to atmosphere.?

Methane (Natural gas) emission too has considerable effect on environment. The Sources of the emission are leakages from Gas pipelines and City Gas Distribution (CGD) network, besides cattle activities. Methane emissions from gas pipelines and the City Gas Distribution (CGD) network in India have significant environmental impacts due to methane's potency as a greenhouse gas. Here are some key points regarding these emissions:

Sources of Methane Emissions and Environmental impacts

• Leaking Pipelines: Aging infrastructure and improper maintenance can lead to leaks, releasing methane into the atmosphere.
• Operational Emissions: Methane can be emitted during gas extraction, processing, filling , regassification, transportation and distribution
• CGD Systems: In city gas distribution, leaks can occur at various points, including pressure reduction devices, metering systems, filling points, distribution lines, and consumer connections etc. .

The Natural gas has global warming potential as methane is over 25 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat over a 100-year period. This makes its emission particularly concerning in the context of climate change. The methane can also affect air quality as methane can contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, which poses health risks and can affect agricultural productivity

Mitigation strategies

Advanced sensors based Leak Detection Systems: Advanced technologies of Leak detection system installed in The pipelines, infrared cameras and satellite monitoring, drone based sensors etc ?can help identify and mitigate leaks.

Adoption of Effective pipeline maintenance strategies: Regular inspections, accounting for gas through highly accurate metering system and upgrades to pipeline systems can reduce emissions. Focussing regularly on Unaccounted for Gas (UFG)? and AI based analysis,? can be an effective support system.

This would benefit climate Goals: Reducing methane emissions can significantly= contribute to India’s commitments under international climate agreements. Besides substantial Economic Savings as reducing leaks not only mitigates environmental impact but also enhances the efficiency of gas use, leading to cost savings.

Conclusion:

While there are numerous advantages of using natural gas as low emission fossil fuel as means of energy but associated leakages from the high to medium pressure system, are cause of concern. Hence addressing methane emissions from gas pipelines and CGD networks is crucial for India's environmental sustainability. Effective management and technological innovations can play a vital role in reducing these emissions, contributing to broader climate change mitigation efforts. Large scale Drone based periodic surveys fitted with specialised sensors, ?can promptly detect the leakage point, thus enabling operators for quick rectification. Hence not only reducing the emission but also reducing loss and optimizing cost.

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Reference:

1.???? PNGRB web site

2.???? Gas Statistics published by Natural gas Society

3.???? Web resources and Chatgpt etc