Example
A malfunction or major leak can create a strong plume detectable by remote sensing.
The catch
Thresholds vary between studies and monitoring programmes.
Related terms
Methane, Monitoring, Anthropogenic methane, Biogenic methane, Flaring, Fossil methane
In more depth
Super-emitter, explained.
Super-emitters matter because methane emissions are heavily skewed. In many oil and gas basins and waste systems, a small share of sources produces a large share of the total. Finding and fixing the biggest releases quickly can therefore deliver large cuts. Typical causes include a stuck valve on a storage tank, an unlit flare or a landfill with damaged cover.
Many such events are intermittent, which is why frequent screening by aircraft or satellite works alongside routine leak detection and repair on the ground. Repeated detections at the same site point to a maintenance or design fault. A useful report gives the release rate, the date and the duration. A single sighting of a methane plume describes one moment in a story that may run for months.