An aerial study of 238 natural gas-fired generation plants in California has concluded they are responsible for 2.1% of the state’s methane emissions from point sources. 

CA methane emissions by source

Jet Propulsion Laboratory researchers earlier this summer completed the survey using its remote sensing technology. Study flights were conducted in five phases during 2016, 2017 and 2018, covering at least 60% of the point source areas. 

Point source areas included oil and gas operations, gas transmission/distribution and storage, and gas-fired power generation, whose sites represented 55% of the ones surveyed.

No “compelling evidence of strong methane emissions” were found in abandoned oil or gas wells or from hydraulic fracturing operations. However, “more detailed analysis is recommended to...