BRIDGING
THE GAP
MethaneSAT will find and measure methane emissions with unparalleled precision – including emissions that other satellites simply can’t see.
Some satellites can track methane on a global scale but can’t detect emissions from countless smaller sources responsible for much of the total. Others provide excellent data from known sites with larger emissions but can’t see beyond small areas.
With high precision and a wide view path, MethaneSAT will track not only the rate at which methane is being emitted and from where, but how those emissions are changing over time – making it easier to track performance against legal and voluntary targets, and prioritize solutions for maximum benefit.
The MethaneSAT mission objective is to both motivate and enable reduction of methane emissions from the global oil and gas sector by 45% by 2025, and 70% by 2030.
MethaneSAT will:
We will also be looking at emissions from agriculture and other sources, with the goal of fostering methane reductions.
MethaneSATTM
TWO PASSIVE INFRARED LITTROW SPECTROMETERS
| Wavelengths | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wavelengths | 1249 – 1305 nm | 1598 – 1683 nm | Target species |
| Target species | O2 | CH4 / CO2 | Spectral resolution / sampling |
| Spectral resolution / sampling | 0.20 nm / 0.06 nm | 0.25 nm / 0.08 nm | Signal to noise ratio |
| Signal to noise ratio | 190 | 190 | Detector |
| Detector | HgCdTe 2k x 2k | HgCdTe 2k x 2k | Payload / Observatory mass |
| Payload / Observatory mass | 183 kg / 362 kg | 183 kg / 362 kg | Orbit altitude |
| Orbit altitude | 525 km | 525 km | Field of view / swath width |
| Field of view / swath width | 21 deg / 200 km | 21 deg / 200 km | Ground sampling distance |
| Ground sampling distance | 100 m across track X 400 m along track | 100 m across track X 400 m along track |
MEASUREMENT
MethaneSAT will detect both concentrated point sources and dispersed area sources, in turn quantifying total emissions – not possible with today’s satellites. It will have a wide field of view along with a very high level of precision and fine spatial resolution to identify and measure even small amounts of excess methane.
ANALYSIS
MethaneSAT will process observed spectrographic data to calculate quantitative emission rates, revealing how much methane is emitted and how it varies across the landscape. MethaneSAT analytics are developed with much lower latency than for other satellites. Our groundbreaking analytics will track emissions based on winds and atmospheric conditions, determining location and volume from individual point sources, as well as cumulative emissions across larger areas.
Stakeholders and the public will be able to access the results freely, in a timely manner.
ACTION
MethaneSAT is specifically designed to catalyze methane reductions by creating unprecedented transparency. Our data platform will be accessible free of charge. The cloud-based data platform means fast turnaround, providing key insights in an actionable timeframe. That means anyone – regulators, investors, buyers and the public – will now be able to see and compare emissions results by company, country or production basin.
Officials and operators around the world will be able to find and fix problems faster, while stakeholders can see and compare progress against goals, commitments, and legal obligations.