Advancing Methane Emissions Monitoring in the US Oil & Gas Sector with Insights from Satellite and Aerial Observations

Abstract Satellite and aircraft-based monitoring are transforming methane emissions detection and mitigation in the US oil and gas sector. By leveraging insights from global mappers, point-source satellites, and aerial surveys, the analysis demonstrates how these technologies enhance emissions tracking and support compliance with federal and state regulations. Their combined capabilities provide high-frequency insights that improve emissions tracking, support compliance, and enhance operators’ methane emissions reduction efforts across major US basins. This study uses a multi-platform approach to monitor methane emissions across US oil and gas basins, integrating satellite observations with aircraft-based sensing. High-resolution satellite observations provide wide-area coverage to detect emissions plumes, while aerial surveys further quantify these facility-level leaks with even greater accuracy. Data is processed using an advanced analytics platform, employing plume modeling and source-attribution techniques. This study assesses both spatial and temporal emission patterns, evaluates detection thresholds, and examines how these technologies enhance regulatory compliance and reduction initiatives. Satellite and aircraft-based monitoring across US oil and gas basins reveals significant underreporting of methane emissions in traditional bottom-up inventories. Facility-level self-reporting often excludes large, intermittent releases occurring from equipment malfunctions and operational upsets. Frequent satellite observations confirm that super-emitters contribute significantly to total emissions, yet these high-volume, short-duration events are often not included in inventory estimates. Satellite-based wide-area coverage and high revisit rates provide a more reliable emissions inventory, ensuring that high emitting sources are consistently identified over time. Facility-level satellite data is increasingly used in regulatory reporting, bridging the gap between self-reported emissions and top-down verification. Aerial survey validation refines these detections, improving both source attribution and quantification accuracy. Observations confirm that certain facilities repeatedly contribute to emissions volumes, while others contribute more sporadically in the form of extreme releases. These findings emphasize the need for frequent revisits to improve emissions reduction efforts and enhance compliance with both regulatory and voluntary methane reduction frameworks. As satellite revisit times improve and data availability expands, this integrated approach becomes key to emissions tracking, supporting industry-wide accountability and effective mitigation. US oil and gas production is near record highs and is expected to grow at an accelerating pace, making sustainable emissions management essential. This paper illustrates how new advancements in delivering accurate and frequent satellite observations enhance emissions monitoring and support compliance with voluntary and regulatory frameworks. The increasing availability of facility-level satellite data is pivotal to the industry's success in achieving its emissions reduction targets.