Environmental Surveys – methane and

H2S
Chris Rella, Director of R&D
25 – 26 Jan, 2010
Methodology

• Picarro CRDS CH4 & GPS antenna Gas snorkel

H2S instrument
– ppb resolution for
both gases in just a
few seconds
– Accurate, robust, and
easy-to-deploy
• High resolution GPS
• Batteries for mobile
operation

Picarro CRDS
batteries
Confidential Information 2
Norco Refinery Area
25 Jan 2010
Local meteorology

• Weather
station near to
the Valero &
Shell
refineries

Confidential Information 4
Looking into the wind

• Plume visible in
close, mid-
distance, and long
distance transects
• Most distant
transect is almost 6
miles away!
• Highest peaks are
1.5 ppmv above
baseline

Confidential Information 5
Leak detection near Narco

• There is a sign right

here that says “buried
high pressure natural
gas pipeline”
• Peaks are very high
(several ppm of CH4)
wind

Confidential Information 6
Chalmette Refinery Area
25 Jan 2010
Chalmette area

• No nearby
weather
stations, used
this one

Confidential Information 8
Chamette Refining

wind

Confidential Information 9
Chalmette Refining, cont’d

• Near and far

transects of
the
Chalmette
Refining
plume
• Peaks are
400 ppb
above
baseline
levels

Confidential Information 10
Murphy Oil Refinery (looking downwind)

• Peaks are 1 ppmv

above baseline
levels

Confidential Information 11
Old Paris Road Landfill

Confidential Information 12
Two Landfills

Unknown source

2 miles

Confidential Information 13
Bogalusa Linerboard Mill
26 Jan 2010
Local Meteorology

Confidential Information 15
Temple Inland Mill, Bogalusa, LA

• Manufactures
linerboard
– unbleached kraft
paperboard used
for the flat facing
material in
corrugated
container board
(i.e., cardboard
box)
• Capacity 770,000 kg
/ year
• Information courtesy
of www.cpbis.gatech.edu

Confidential Information 16
Hydrogen sulfide measurements in Bogalusa

• Image facing ENE (i.e.,

~ downwind)
• Hydrogen sulfide peaks
are about 35 ppb high
• Measurements made
from 11:15 – 12:00

Confidential Information 17
methane measurements in Bogalusa

• Very sharp, very high

peaks of methane
– Highest peaks are 2
ppm above
background level
• Unknown source(s),
both inside the
Temple Inland
fenceline, and outside

Confidential Information 18
New Augusta Market Pulp Mill
26 Jan 2010
Local Meteorology

Georgia Pacific Pulp mill

Confidential Information 20
Georgia Pacific Market Pulp Mill

• Manufactures market pulp

– Pulp produced at one location, to
be sold and used at another
location to make paper or board;
includes bleached paper-grade
chemical pulp, deinked
(recycled) market pulp,
dissolving pulp, cotton linter pulp
• Capacity 550,000 kg / year
• Information courtesy of
www.cpbis.gatech.edu

Confidential Information 21
Hydrogen sulfide measurements in New Augusta

• Image facing E
(i.e., ~
downwind)
• Hydrogen
sulfide peaks
are about 20
ppb high
• Stationary data
collected at
arrow locations

Confidential Information 22
methane measurements in New Augusta

• Source of
methane
near south
end of mill
• Peaks are
350 ppb
above
baseline

Confidential Information 23