For the network of pipelines that bring natural gas to homes throughout the United States, leaks are an ongoing challenge. Repairing those leaks can lead to safety and climate benefits by reducing the amount of methane (a potent greenhouse gas) released into the atmosphere. But a new study led by La Follette School Assistant Professor Morgan Edwards found these repairs are not always successful, leaving some of the potential benefits of leak repair on the table.
Working with Amanda Giang (University of British Columbia), Gregg Macey (Brooklyn Law School), and the Massachusetts nonprofit HEET, Edwards set out to measure the effectiveness of repairing methane leaks. They published their results Environmental Science & Technology.