Shale Petroleum Extraction Emission Characterization (SPEECH) Study

In October and November 2015, ground-based air measurements of pollutants were made from two mobile laboratories in southeast Saskatchewan in an area within a 50 km radius of Stoughton, Saskatchewan by scientists of the Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Measurements were made while the mobile laboratories were driven downwind of oil production facilities in the region on a daily basis, starting approximately 0900 and ending approximately 1700 local time (CST). The objectives of these measurements included 1) scouting the Bakken shale plays in southern Saskatchewan, to determine whether petroleum resource development releases air pollutants to the atmosphere, 2) to determine the emission rates of CACs (NOx, SO2, CO, VOCs), GHG/SLCP (CO2, CH4, black carbon), and air toxics (H2S, aromatics) from these development activities and 3) to provide data that can be used in emission inventory development. The full suite of measurements made were; CH4, CO2, CO, CH4/CO2 carbon isotope, NO, NO2, SO2, H2S, VOCs in canisters (~150 VOCs) OVOCs + BTEX, Acids (organic and inorganic), Black carbon, PM2.5 and particle number size distribution and Met parameters (T, P, RH, 3-d wind speeds, wind direction, turbulence).