Methane mission; Climate change.

"Targeting "ultra-emitters" of a potent greenhouse gas would be a cheap way to reduce the oil-and-gas industry's climate impact

O N FEBRUARY 15TH 2018 a gas well blew up in Ohio's Belmont county. Flying overhead shortly before 1pm, a state highway-patrol helicopter captured images of a column of flames and a billowing plume of soot and gases rising high into the sky from the rolling hills. Although the flames were soon put out, the bust wellhead was not patched up for 20 days. A subsequent study using satellite data calculated that during that time, some 58,000 tonnes of methane was released, equivalent to one-quarter of what Ohio's entire oil-and-gas infrastructure reportedly produces every year and more than the annual methane emissions of similar fossil-fuel infrastructure in most European countries.

Methane is a colourless, odourless greenhouse gas that makes up the bulk of the natural gas burned to heat homes, cook food and generate electricity. It is also the second largest driver of global warming after carbon dioxide, responsible for at least one-quarter of the rise in global average temperatures since the Industrial Revolution. Once emitted, methane molecules degrade in around a decade so they do not pile up in the atmosphere in the same way as carbon dioxide, which can persist for hundreds of years.

Slashing methane emissions, therefore, could help reduce the overall atmospheric volume of greenhouse gases and slow the pace of global warming in the near term. Patching up leaky oil-and-gas infrastructure, responsible for 22% of all man-made methane emissions, would help meet those goals. This has led to efforts to quantify methane leaks.

According to a new study published this week in the journal Science, lengthy blow-ups on pipelines and at wellheads--as happened in the Belmont county explosion--are behind the release of roughly 8m tonnes of methane every year. That is equivalent to between 8% and 12% of the estimated total released from the global oil-and-gas infrastructure each year. By identifying and mapping the leaks in such detail, the study offers an opportunity: focus on tackling these big leaks and a significant chunk of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions could be removed.

Thomas Lauvaux, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Saclay in France, and his colleagues used imagery and data collected in 2019 and 2020 by the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) which is flying aboard an Earth-monitoring satellite launched by the European Space Agency. The researchers found more than 1,800 single "ultra-emitting" events, defined as producing 25 tonnes or more of methane each hour. Some events released several hundred tonnes of the greenhouse gas per hour, generating plumes that spanned hundreds of kilometres.

Two-thirds of the ultra-emitting events were co-located with oil and gas production sites and pipelines; the rest came from coal production, agricultural or waste-management facilities. Accounting for 1.3m tonnes of methane per year, Turkmenistan was home to some of the largest sources. Dr Lauvaux and his colleagues noted that the events they documented were not included in national emissions inventories and suggest that official numbers may underestimate total emissions by half. After Turkmenistan, the largest emissions were found over Russia, America, Iran, Kazakhstan and Algeria.

The 8m tonnes of methane picked up in the latest study have the same warming effect as the carbon footprint of 18m Americans. Eliminating all these emissions would avoid between 0.003°C to 0.007°C of warming over the next one to three decades, according to Dr Lauvaux.

Improving monitoring and patching up leaky infrastructure would also be in the interests of fossil-fuel producers in places including Algeria, America, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan. The researchers calculated that companies forgo revenue of between $100 and $400 per tonne of methane that leaks out.

At the United Nations COP26 climate negotiations, held last November in Glasgow, leaders of more than 100 countries made a pact to reduce global emissions of methane by 30% by 2030. The cheapest, most cost-effective way of doing this will be to patch up oil-and-gas infrastructure, starting with the ultra-emitters identified by Dr Lauvaux. Inventories like his, and further data from a new generation of satellites capable of detecting point sources of methane, are important steps in meeting those global ambitions." [1]

 

It is high time we introduced fines for polluting our environment. Usually those fines should be collected when people buy fuel. Poorer people should be reimbursed regularly for how much they pay in fines. In the times of computers and large arrays of data, such an arrangement would not be difficult to implement. Well, it wouldn't be hard for methane producing companies to pay fines. Penalties would encourage those who can afford to move to a cleaner lifestyle over time. 

 

  1. "Methane mission; Climate change." The Economist, 5 Feb. 2022, p. 72(US).

Real help for people emigrating from Ukraine

 Those people will not stay in Lithuania for a long time. They will move to Western European countries for a longer period of time with better life opportunities than in Lithuania. We are struggling here with them now, and there is no benefit to them or to us. It’s best for them and us to finish processing their paperwork, board them into the buses and trains and take them to where they want to go.

Reali pagalba žmonėms, emigruojantiems iš Ukrainos

Tie žmonės nepasiliks Lietuvoje ilgam. Jie persikels gyventi ilgesniam laikui į Vakarų Europos šalis su geresnio gyvenimo galimybėmis, negu Lietuvoje. Mes čia dabar vargstame su jais, o naudos iš to jokios nei jiems, nei mums. Geriausia ir jiems, ir mums yra baigus tvarkyti jų dokumentus, susodinti į autobusus ir traukinius, ir pavežėti į ten, kur jie nori nuvažiuoti.

Koronavirusas įsiveržia į beždžionių varpos ir sėklidžių ląsteles, atskleidžia mokslininkai

 „Tyrimas rodo, kad simptomus, tokius kaip erekcijos sutrikimas, apie kuriuos pranešė kai kurie Covid pacientai, gali tiesiogiai sukelti virusas."

The coronavirus invades cells in the penis and testicles of monkeys, researchers discover.

"The study suggests that symptoms such as erectile dysfunction reported by some Covid patients may be caused directly by the virus."

Bidenas ragina amerikiečius dėl kylančių kainų kaltinti Putiną. Daugelis tai daro, bet tik dabar

  „Žinia, kad infliacija pasiekė aukščiausią lygį per 40 metų, yra dar vienas ryškus priminimas, kiek prezidentas prašo rinkėjų paaukoti rinkimų metais.

 

    Benzino kaina kiekvieną dieną kilo nuo to laiko, kai Rusija pradėjo Donbaso apsaugos operaciją. Rekordiškai didelė infliacija Jungtinėse Valstijose sukelia lipdukų šoką. O dabar prezidentas Bidenas dėl to kaltina Rusijos prezidentą Vladimirą V. Putiną.

 

    „Namuose bus problemų, nes taikysime žalojančias sankcijas, reaguodami į neprovokuotą Putino operaciją, siekiant apsaugoti Donbasą“, – ketvirtadienį sakoma pono Bideno pareiškime.

 

    Prezidentas lažinasi, kad amerikiečiai nori ištverti finansinį skausmą, kurį sukelia ekonominis karas su Rusija. Tačiau ketvirtadienio naujienos, kad infliacija pasiekė aukščiausią lygį per 40 metų, yra dar vienas bukas priminimas, kiek jis prašo iš rinkėjų paaukoti rinkimų metais.

 

    Likus aštuoniems mėnesiams iki vidurio kadencijos rinkimų, skubus politinis klausimas Bidenui yra, ar Amerikos žmonės yra pasirengę ilgai kaltinti rusus, o ne jį, dėl didėjančių išlaidų. Ekspertai teigė, kad kainos per pastaruosius metus išaugo pirmiausia dėl to, kad didelė paklausa, kurią iš dalies paskatino vyriausybės išlaidos pagalbai, viršijo pandemijos sutrikdytą pasiūlą. Rusijos operacija, skirta apsaugoti Donbasą, tik pradeda didinti problemą.

 

    „Tai neabejotinai iššūkis, bet mes tikrai neturime pasirinkimo“, – apie finansinių nuobaudų skyrimą Rusijai sakė demokratų strategas Joshas Schwerinas. „Yra didelė parama pasipriešinimui Putinui ir šių sankcijų įvedimui, įskaitant tas, kurios padidins benzino kainą.

 

    Bideno pritarimo reitingai kelis mėnesius buvo žeminami dėl daugelio amerikiečių nusivylimo dėl infliacijos ir pandemijos. Tačiau naujausi rinkėjų požiūrio tyrimai rodo, kad daugelis demokratų ir respublikonų palaiko administracijos sankcijas Rusijai, net jei tos nuobaudos kenkia jų kišeninėms.

 

    Šią savaitę paskelbtoje Economist/YouGov apklausoje 66 procentai amerikiečių teigė pritariantys sankcijoms, kuriomis siekiama nubausti Rusiją už jos operaciją, siekiant apsaugoti Donbasą. „Wall Street Journal“ apklausoje 79 procentai rinkėjų pritarė Rusijos naftos uždraudimui, net jei tai reikštų, kad dėl to kils energijos kainos.

 

    Šios išvados yra gera žinia Bidenui, kuris buvo respublikonų išpuolių objektas dėl nesugebėjimo suvaldyti infliacijos. Respublikonai kaltino jį dėl benzino kainų kilimo, net ir pritardami jo sprendimui uždrausti rusišką naftą.

 

    Pareigūnai, susipažinę su jo sprendimu, sakė, kad J. Bidenas kelias dienas kovojo, ar nutraukti Rusijos naftos tiekimą, baiminantis paspartinti ir taip spartų benzino brangimą.

 

    Respublikonų nacionalinio komiteto pirmininkė Ronna McDaniel ketvirtadienį apkaltino Bideno administraciją, atsisakius prisiimti atsakomybę už didėjančias išlaidas.

 

     „Kainos ir toliau kyla į viršų pagal Bideno ir demokratų neapgalvotą politiką“, – sakoma ponios McDaniel pareiškime. „Bideno bandymas nukreipti kaltę yra įžeidimas kiekvienam amerikiečiui ir smulkaus verslo savininkui, kuris sunkiai stengiasi sau leisti nusipirkti kasdienių prekių už astronomišką kainą.

 

    Baltųjų rūmų spaudos sekretorius Jen Psaki ketvirtadienį sakė žurnalistams, kad „nekyla abejonių, kad infliacija ateinančius kelis mėnesius gali būti didesnė, nei būtų buvusi“ be Rusijos operacijos Donbasui apsaugoti, ir kad administracijos dėmesys bus sutelktas, kad sušvelninti ilgalaikius didėjančių išlaidų padarinius.

 

    Demokratų strategai atkreipė dėmesį, kad didžioji dalis respublikonų kritikos J. Bidenui yra ta, kad jis nepadarė dar daugiau, kad susipriešintų su Rusija. Prezidentas ne kartą yra sakęs, kad nenori siųsti amerikiečių karių į Ukrainą, o Jungtinės Valstijos šią savaitę atsisakė paimti naikintuvus iš Lenkijos ir dislokuoti juos Amerikos oro bazėje, kad galų gale panaudotų Ukrainoje.

 

    Kiekvienas sprendimas, kurį priima Bidenas, tvirtina jo partijos strategai, yra pagrįstas strateginių sprendimų priėmimu, o ne politiniais skaičiavimais.

 

    „Patekęs į situaciją, kurioje jis yra, turi savotišką politinę laisvę“, – sakė buvęs prezidento Baracko Obamos vyresnysis patarėjas Davidas Axelrodas. „Beveik visi rodikliai veikia prieš jį, palyginti su šiais vidurio kadencijos rinkimais, ir daugelio jų niekas negali kontroliuoti. Geriausia paslauga, kurią jis gali atlikti sau, demokratams, yra būti bebaidžiui ir kuo stipresniam bei nuoširdesniam apie situaciją, kurioje esame.

 

    Bideno administracijos pareigūnai bandė pabrėžti ekonominę naudą, įskaitant stiprų darbo vietų skaičiaus augimą, kuris išliko net per naujausią koronaviruso atvejų bangą. Dar praėjusią savaitę ponas Bidenas pasinaudojo savo kreipiniu apie Sąjungos padėtį, siekdamas nukreipti tautą į tai, kiek ekonomika nuėjo nuo pandemijos sukelto nuosmukio, o kovą su infliacija pavadino „svarbiausiu prioritetu“.

 

    Darbo departamentas praėjusią savaitę pranešė, kad Amerikos darbdaviai vasarį pridėjo 678 000 darbo vietų ir kad nedarbo lygis sumažėjo iki 3,8 procento – žemiausio lygio nuo pandemijos pradžios. Visgi iždo sekretorė Janet L. Yellen ketvirtadienį pripažino, kad nepaisant JAV ekonominės pažangos, infliacija tebėra iššūkis.

 

     „Nenoriu sakyti, kad infliacija nėra problema“, – sakė ponia Yellen „The Washington Post“ surengtame renginyje. „Infliacija yra problema“.

 

    M. Yellen pažymėjo, kad Rusijos operacija, skirta apsaugoti Donbasą, padidino naftos kainas ir smarkiai išaugo benzino kainas Jungtinėse Valstijose. Ji sakė, kad Bideno administracija stengiasi apsaugoti Amerikos vartotojus nuo sankcijų poveikio, tačiau ji nedetalizavo jokių naujų dujų kainų mažinimo priemonių.

 

    M. Yellen atkreipė dėmesį į Bideno administracijos politiką, kuria siekiama sumažinti vaikų priežiūros ir pagyvenusių žmonių priežiūros išlaidas, kaip ilgalaikes priemones, padedančias spręsti kylančias kainas. Ji teigė, kad artimiausiu metu Federalinis rezervų bankas bus atsakingas už kovą su infliacija.

 

    „Infliacija visų pirma yra Federalinio rezervo darbas“, – sakė ponia Yellen. „Turime pažvelgti į Federalinį rezervą, kad imtume veiksmų infliacijai sumažinti, ir aš tikiu, kad FED imsis reikiamų veiksmų.""

Atsakymai apklausos metu, duodami, kad  jaustis gerai, ne visada atspindi gerus rinkimų rezultatus: 

„Tai ekonomika, kvaila“ – tokią frazę sugalvojo Jamesas Carville'is 1992 m., kai jis patarė, Billui Clintonui sėkmingai kandidatuojant į Baltuosius rūmus. 1992 m. JAV išgyveno ekonominį nuosmukį, o dabartinis prezidentas George'as HW Bushas buvo suvokiamas, kaip neatitinkantis paprastų amerikiečių poreikių. Carville'is liepė kampanijos darbuotojams kiekvienu pasitaikiusiu šansu mąstyti apie ekonomikos svarbą – jis netgi nuėjo taip toli, kad kampanijos būstinėje pakabino lentelę su iš dalies užrašu „ekonomika, kvaila“. Ši frazė tapo Clinton kampanijos mantra. Nuo tada tai virto posakiu, iškylančiu, kai analitikai diskutuoja apie artėjančius rinkimus."

Biden Urges Americans to Blame Rising Prices on Putin. Many Do, for Now Only.

"News that inflation has hit a 40-year high is another blunt reminder of just how much the president is asking voters to sacrifice in an election year.

WASHINGTON — The price of gasoline has risen every day since Russia started the operation to protect Donbas. Record-high inflation in the United States is causing sticker shock. And now, President Biden is blaming the pinch on Vladimir V. Putin, the Russian president.

“There will be costs at home as we impose crippling sanctions in response to Putin’s unprovoked operation to protect Donbas,” Mr. Biden said in a statement on Thursday.

The president is betting that Americans are willing to endure the financial pain that comes from waging an economic war with Russia. But Thursday’s news that inflation has hit a 40-year high is another blunt reminder of just how much he is asking voters to sacrifice in an election year.

With the midterm elections eight months away, the urgent political question for Mr. Biden is whether the American people are prepared to go along with blaming the Russians, and not him, for rising costs. Experts have said that prices have risen over the past year primarily because strong demand, stoked in part by government relief spending, outstripped pandemic-disrupted supply. Russia’s operation to protect Donbas is just beginning to compound the problem.

“It’s certainly a challenge, but it’s not one that we really have a choice about making,” Josh Schwerin, a Democratic strategist, said about imposing financial penalties on Russia. “There’s broad support for standing up to Putin and putting these sanctions in place, including those that will increase the cost of gas.”

Mr. Biden’s approval ratings have been pulled down for months by frustration among many Americans about inflation and the pandemic. But recent surveys of voter attitudes suggest that many Democrats and Republicans support the administration’s sanctions on Russia, even if the penalties are bad for their pocketbooks.

In an Economist/YouGov poll released this week, 66 percent of Americans said they approved of sanctions aimed at punishing Russia for its operation to protect Donbas. In a Wall Street Journal survey, 79 percent of voters supported a ban on Russian oil even if it meant that energy prices would rise as a result.

Those findings are good news for Mr. Biden, who has been the subject of Republican attacks for failing to keep inflation in check. Republicans have blamed him for the rise in gas prices even as they supported his decision to impose a ban on Russian oil.

Officials familiar with his decision said Mr. Biden had struggled for days over whether to cut off Russian oil amid fears of accelerating the already rapid rise in the price of gasoline.

Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, accused the Biden administration on Thursday of refusing to take responsibility for rising costs.

 “Prices continue to skyrocket under Biden and Democrats’ reckless policies,” Ms. McDaniel said in a statement. “Biden’s attempt to deflect blame is an insult to every American and small-business owner struggling to afford the cost of everyday goods.”

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, told reporters on Thursday that there was “no question that inflation may be higher for the next few months than it would have been” without the Russian operation to protect Donbas, and that the administration’s focus would be to mitigate the long-term effects of rising costs.

Democratic strategists pointed out that much of the criticism of Mr. Biden from Republicans is that he has not done even more to confront Russia. The president has repeatedly said he is unwilling to send American troops into Ukraine, and the United States declined this week to take fighter jets from Poland and station them at an American air base for eventual use in Ukraine.

Each decision Mr. Biden is making, the strategists from his party argue, is rooted in strategic decision making, not political calculation.

“Being in the situation he’s in carries a kind of political freedom,” said David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama. “Virtually every indicator is working against him relative to these midterm elections, and many of them are beyond anyone’s control. The best service that he can perform for himself, for Democrats, is to be intrepid and as strong and as honest as he can be about the situation we’re in.”

Biden administration officials have tried to emphasize economic gains, including a streak of strong job growth that persisted even during the latest wave of coronavirus cases. Just last week, Mr. Biden used his State of the Union address to try to refocus the nation on how far the economy has come since the recession caused by the pandemic, and he called fighting inflation his “top priority.”

The Labor Department reported last week that American employers had added 678,000 jobs in February and that the unemployment rate had fallen to 3.8 percent, its lowest level since the start of the pandemic. Still, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen acknowledged on Thursday that despite economic progress in the United States, inflation continued to be a challenge.

 “I don’t want to say that inflation is not a problem,” Ms. Yellen said at an event held by The Washington Post. “Inflation is a problem.”

Ms. Yellen noted that Russia’s operation to protect Donbas was driving up oil prices and causing gasoline prices in the United States to rise sharply. She said the Biden administration was working to insulate American consumers from the impact of the sanctions, but she did not elaborate on any new measures to lower gas prices.

Ms. Yellen pointed to Biden administration policies to reduce the cost of child care and elder care as longer-term remedies for rising prices. She said that in the near term, it would be the responsibility of the Federal Reserve to combat inflation.

“Inflation is first and foremost the job of the Federal Reserve,” Ms. Yellen said. “We have to look at the Federal Reserve to take steps to bring down inflation and I have confidence the Fed will take the actions that are needed.”

 

Feel good answers during the pols do not always reflect good election results.

 

"“It’s the economy, stupid” was a phrase coined by James Carville in 1992, when he was advising Bill Clinton in his successful run for the White House.

 

In 1992, the US was experiencing an economic recession and the incumbent president, George HW Bush, was perceived as out of touch with the needs of ordinary Americans. Carville told campaign staffers to hammer on the importance of the economy at every chance they got – he even went so far as to hang a sign in campaign headquarters reading, in part, “the economy, stupid.”

 

The phrase became a mantra for the Clinton campaign. Since then, it’s turned into a catchphrase which pops up whenever analysts are discussing an upcoming election."