Towards Sustainable Hydrocarbon Extraction: A Study of Atmospheric Pollutant Dynamics (CO, CH4, SO2, HCHO) via Remote Sensing and Meteorological Data

Hydrocarbon exploitation in Argentina is a strategic sector for the national economy, but also a significant source of atmospheric emissions. In the context of climate change, energy transition, and increasing health risks, robust evidence is needed to characterize pollutant dynamics in hydrocarbon basins. This study modeled the atmospheric dispersion of CO (carbon monoxide), CH4 (methane), SO2 (sulfur dioxide), and HCHO (formaldehyde) around oil wells by integrating satellite imagery with meteorological data. The study covered Argentina’s main hydrocarbon basins, applying generalized additive mixed models (GAMM) to assess relationships between pollutants, climatic variables, and basin locations. Results showed that CO and SO2 peaked in the Cuyana basin, influenced by outdated infrastructure, flaring, and atmospheric stability, reaching maxima in spring (CO > 30,000 µmol·m−2) and winter (SO2 = 2760 µmol·m−2). HCHO levels were elevated in Cuyana and Neuquina, during warmer months (> 170 µmol·m−2). CH4 displayed a more uniform distribution (~1800 ppb), with slightly higher values in Cuyana due to temperature and pressure. By combining high-resolution satellite observations with climate data, this study makes a novel and outstanding contribution by providing the first integrated assessment of pollutant dynamics across Argentina’s oil basins, offering actionable benchmarks for emission reduction, infrastructure modernization, and alignment with sustainability commitments.