Presentation at Massachusetts Sustainable Communities and Campuses Conference on March 17, 2017

1. Fix the Worst First
Finding High-Volume Natural Gas
Leaks from Underground Pipes
Audrey Schulman
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2. Old infrastructure

3. Problems
1. Potentially explosive
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Problems
1. Potentially explosive
2. Kill trees

5. Problems
1. Potentially explosive
2. Kill trees
3. Powerful greenhouse gas
Burned = CO2 NOT burned = Methane
86X more damaging
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6. Problems
1. Potentially explosive
2. Kill trees
3. Powerful greenhouse gas
4. Paid for by the ratepayer
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7. Mapping the leaks
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9. Super-emitters
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12. Subsurface Gas Reads=>50%
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13. (saturated area)

14. (saturated area)(saturated area)

15. Study:
500 pre-surveyed leaks
● Select leaks for gas
read and size of
“footprint”

16. Study:
500 pre-surveyed leaks
● Select leaks for gas
read and size of
“footprint”
● Then measure the
emissions
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20. (saturated area)(saturated area)
Chamber method underestimates emissions
Areas measured

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22. Learning Method

23. Learning Method

24. Learning Method

25. Learning Method

26. Modified Purger
Inexpensive, fast to use
Reliable rugged accepted by utilities
Learning mechanism for utilities to teach
themselves
Columbia Gas, Eversource, National Grid
Barr Foundation Funding
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