Global energy sector methane emissions estimated by using facility-level satellite observations

Methane emissions from energy sector facilities (oil, gas, and coal) represent a 15% significant contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions with substantial mitigation potential. We estimate global 2023 methane emissions from energy sector point-sources using the high spatial resolution GHGSat satellite constellation. GHGSat detected 8.30 ± 0.24 Mt yr-1 of methane emissions from 3,114 emission sites. Detected O&G and coal emitting sites are found to be emitting 16% and 48% of the time, respectively, above GHGSat’s detection limit without 20 significant continental variations. Compared to the Global Fuel Exploitation Inventory (GFEIv3), GHGSat’s estimate comprises 12% of GFEIv3’s total emissions, or 24% over GHGSat-observed locations, with good spatial correlation at the country scale but only weak spatial correlation at the 0.2 ° x 0.2 ° grid cell scale.