Google and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have announced a partnership that would expose sources of climate-warming emissions from oil and gas operations that would be detected from space by a new satellite. The project – which is called MethaneSAT – will launch next month. It is one of several satellites deployed to monitor methane emissions worldwide for pinpointing major sources of potent greenhouse gases.
EDF developed algorithms (powered by Google Cloud) collaborating with scientists at Harvard University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and its Center for Astrophysics and scientists at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
The data from the satellite will be available later this year. Google Cloud will provide the computing capabilities for processing the data.
Google said it would create a map of oil and gas infrastructure, using AI to identify components such as oil tanks. And MethaneSAT’s emissions data will be overlayed with Google’s mapping technology to better understand the oil and gas equipment that leak the most.
This information will be distributed through Google Earth Engine later this year.
KEY QUOTES:
“By making MethaneSAT datasets available on Earth Engine, which has over 100,000 monthly active users, it’s easier for users to detect trends and understand correlations between human activities and environmental impact. For example, Earth Engine users can combine methane data with other datasets — like land cover, forests, water, ecosystems, regional borders and more — to do things like track methane emissions in a given area over time. Explore the aerial data or access it for analysis in Earth Engine.”
“Figuring out how to address methane emissions is one of the biggest climate challenges we face today. We’re excited to share actionable information that is urgently needed to achieve real impact.”
- Yael Maguire, Vice President and General Manager, Geo Developer & Sustainability, Google
