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A remote sensing satellite has detected one of the largest releases of methane from a single industrial zone, an underground coal mine in south-central Russia. The finding is another indication of the extent of the problem of reducing emissions of methane, a potent gas that warms the planet.

At the Raspadskya mine, Russia’s largest coal mine, thirteen gas clouds were observed in late January during the single pass of a US-operated satellite. GHGSat, a commercial emissions monitoring firm. Total flow rate from all fumes was estimated at about 87 metric tons per hour (about 95 US tons).

“This is the biggest resource we’ve ever seen,” said Brody Wight, director of energy, landfills and mines at GHGSat. Established in 2011 and now there are six emission sensing satellites. By contrast, the highest rate measured at Aliso Canyon, a Southern California natural gas storage facility that had a major leak for about four months in 2015 and 2016, was about 60 metric tons per hour.

“It’s a really big fish,” said Felix Vogel, a research scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada in Toronto, who is not affiliated with GHGSat.

Mr Wight said it was not known how long the mine’s emissions continued at this rate. But several previous satellite passes had detected tens of tons of emissions per hour. “Overall we’ve seen a pretty steady increase in visitors from this site,” he said.

If the flow were continuous with 87 metric tons of methane per hour, total annual emissions would be equivalent to those from five average coal-fired power plants, the company said.

Mr Wight said the releases were most likely intentional, as methane-rich pockets naturally form between coal seams at the Raspadskya mine, as in other coal mines. In 2010, methane accumulation in the mine led to an explosion that killed 66 people.

To reduce methane concentrations, large fans draw air into and through the mine, venting the methane into the atmosphere.

Methane has a greater impact on warming than carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas emitted by human activities. For over two decades, methane can cause about 80 times the warming of the same amount of carbon dioxide.

Methane emissions are much lower than carbon dioxide emissions, and molecules break down much faster. But because of methane’s warming potential, reducing deliberate or accidental emissions of the gas is seen as a way to limit global warming faster this century.

At the global climate talks held in Glasgow last fall, More than 100 countries have pledged to reduce their methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030Although Russia and some other major emitters are not among them.

Until recently, precise measurement of emissions from certain industrial areas, such as mines, oil and gas production facilities, and landfills, could only be done using equipment on the ground or in aircraft. This limited the number of sites that could be reviewed.

While ground and aerial sensing continues, satellites can now easily monitor much larger areas. Most of these satellites have relatively coarse resolution, however, meaning they can detect gas over an area. in similar or larger volumes They cannot reduce emissions to specific areas, measured in the Russian mine. GHGSat satellites are among the next generation with much better resolution.

Dr. With these new satellites, “We now have the tools to enable us to get actionable information,” Vogel said.

“They allow you to really get down to the scale of the facility, to see specific parts of the facility where emissions are occurring,” he said. “You can tell companies where to go to fix something.”