Issue 7, 2021

Changes in neighborhood air quality after idling of an urban oil production site

Abstract

Oil and gas development is occurring in urban, densely populated neighborhoods; however, the impacts of these operations on neighborhood air quality are not well characterized. In this research, we leveraged ambient air monitoring adjacent to an oil and gas production site in Los Angeles, California during active and idle periods. This study analyzed continuous methane (CH4) and non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) measurements, together with triggered grab samples and 24 hour integrated canister samples collected by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Ambient air pollutant levels and trends were evaluated during active and idle well operations to assess changes in neighborhood air quality after the suspension of oil and gas production. We find that mean concentrations of methane, NMHC, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, styrene, n-hexane, n-pentane, ethane, and propane decreased following the stop in production activities. Using a source apportionment approach, we observed that the “natural gas” drilling source contributed 23.7% to the total VOCs measured during the active phase, and only 0.6% to the total measured VOCs in the idle phase. Near urban oil and gas production sites, residents may face poorer air quality due to the oil and gas activities which may pose adverse health and environmental risks among proximate communities.

Graphical abstract: Changes in neighborhood air quality after idling of an urban oil production site

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 1 2021
Accepted
17 5 2021
First published
19 5 2021

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2021,23, 967-980

Changes in neighborhood air quality after idling of an urban oil production site

J. E. Johnston, K. Okorn, Y. O. Van Horne and A. Jimenez, Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2021, 23, 967 DOI: 10.1039/D1EM00048A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements