Australian coal region emits methane equivalent of 30m cars
The Bowen Basin coal mine complex in Australia reportedly leaks more methane than its global competitors, according to an analysis conducted by energy reporters Kayrros using satellite data.
The basin, which stretches for hundreds of kilometres from Queensland to New South Wales, represents the country's main production sector for coal mining and the report shows it emitted 1.6 million tonnes of methane per year in 2019 and 2020 - roughly the equivalent of 30 million passenger vehicles in greenhouse gases over the timeframe.
Mining is a big industry in Australia owing to its abundance of natural resources and swathes of empty countryside.
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Methane intensity across the region varies greatly, Kayrros revealed, with the highest quantities of methane clocking in at five times more than the lowest quartiles recorded.
Every tonne of coal produced at the site produced 7.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas, coming in at 47% more than the global average.
Reducing methane emissions from coal is more straightforward than from other fossil fuels as it is possible to drain methane from coal seams before mining, or sequestering it from mine ventilation systems.
The firm estimates that these technologies used across the entire basin could stand to reduce methane emissions by 650,000 tonnes per year.
Methane is currently the second most prevalent greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. One report suggests the methane emissions from coal mining may exceed those from fossil fuel consumption.
It also reports that coal mines continue to emit methane once the mine's resources have been depleted.
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There is currently little raw data on the extent of Australia's methane emissions derived from coal.
“Ascertaining the full extent of the methane emissions from Australia’s coal mines for the first time is a critical milestone in the race to reduce our climate footprint,” said Kayrros' President Antoine Rostand.
“Coal gets lost in the discussion of our methane footprint, partly due to the wish to move away from it altogether, partly due to a lack of data. But coal is still a big part of the fuel mix and our measurements show reducing methane emissions from coal is a proverbial low-hanging fruit for the climate," he added.
Kayrros also revealed the nation's geology may be responsible for the high methane levels. Older and deeper systems appear to also contain higher levels.
Several industries that make use of raw materials with high greenhouse gas intensities, such as steel, is becoming an international issue as these sectors face mounting pressure from governments to meet climate goals.
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Australia currently accounts for half of the world's metallurgic coal exports, with companies such as Anglo American and BHP as its largest exporters.
Reports from scientists have come in about methane emissions levels soaring during 2020, reaching their highest levels since 1983.
Agriculture - primarily cattle rearing - currently accounts for the largest amount of methane emitted globally, which has sparked debates over attempting to cut down red meat consumption as an environmental imperative.
The same report claims methane is 86x more potent than carbon dioxide in the long run, leading to decreases in crop yield and respiratory problems in humans.
A 2020 International Energy Agency (IEA) report suggests that methane levels at the time of the report were 2.5x more than in pre-industrial times. It states agriculture is responsible for a quarter of emissions, with the energy sector clocking in a close second, including emissions from coal, oil, natural gas and biofuels.
It also estimates global methane emissions fall in the range of 570 million metric tonnes annually.
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