Oil and Gas Air Pollution
Air contaminants are emitted from a variety of sources throughout the oil and gas development process. If you think oil and gas production is good for air quality, THINK AGAIN.
The following chart summarizes the major air pollutants released during oil and gas development and the major sources of emissions. Click on each category to read details about the pollutant or the source activity.
| Fugitive Emissions | Dehydration | Vehicles | Flaring | Engines | Pits | Venting | |
| Particulate Matter |
|
x |
x |
|
x |
||
|
|
x |
x |
|
|
|
||
|
x |
|
x |
|
|
x |
||
| Ozone |
o |
o |
o |
|
o |
||
| Carbon Monoxide |
x |
x |
x |
||||
| Nitrogen Oxides |
x |
x |
x |
||||
| Sulfur Dioxide |
x |
x |
x |
||||
| VOCs |
x |
x |
|
x |
x |
x |
x |
| BTEX |
x |
x |
|
x |
x |
x |
x |
| PAHs |
x |
||||||
| Methane |
x |
x |
|
|
|
x |
x |
- 'x' means that a pollutant is emitted as a direct result of the particular activity
- 'o' means that the pollutant is generated in a secondary reaction associated with the particular oil and gas development activity.
For more information:
Related OGAP Resources
- Air Contaminants from oil and gas development
- Sources of Air Pollution in the oil and gas industry
- Air Quality Regulations in Colorado
- Colorado air pollution from oil and gas development
- Other types of oil and gas pollution
Tagged with: public health, oil and gas, air pollution
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