2013 Uintah Basin Winter Ozone & Air Quality Study

FINAL REPORT 2013 UINTAH BASIN WINTER OZONE & AIR QUALITY STUDY SETH LYMAN, MARC MANSFIELD, AND HOWARD SHORTHILL UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY, COMMERCIALIZATION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT BA TAH SIN IN U DOCUMENT NUMBER: CRD/13.10297B 3 Y D UBOS2 U REVISION: ORIGINAL RELEASE 0 13 S T O Z ON E DATE: OCTOBER 24, 2013 Table of Contents SPATIAL, SEASONAL, AND INTER-ANNUAL ASPECTS OF WINTERTIME OZONE Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Methods .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Ozone Measurements .............................................................................................................. 1 Ozone Precursor Measurements .............................................................................................. 2 Meteorological Measurements ................................................................................................ 3 Spatial Data Analysis ................................................................................................................. 3 Results and Discussion .................................................................................................................... 4 Ozone Concentrations and Distribution ................................................................................... 4 DistriBution of Nonmethane HydrocarBons ........................................................................... 12 DistriBution of Oxides of Nitrogen .......................................................................................... 19 Influence of Transport Patterns on Ozone During an Inversion Episode ................................ 25 Seasonal Changes in Ozone and Precursor Chemistry ............................................................ 27 Interannual Variability in Wintertime Ozone .......................................................................... 31 Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 34 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 34 USE OF THE CALMET DIAGNOSTIC MODEL TO SIMULATE WINTER INVERSIONS .......................... 35 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 35 Methods ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Results and Discussion .................................................................................................................. 37 CALPUFF Model Animations ................................................................................................... 37 Wind Speed and Direction ...................................................................................................... 38 Temperature ........................................................................................................................... 42 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 44 References ..................................................................................................................................... 45 WINTERTIME EMISSIONS OF HYDROCARBONS FROM PRODUCED WATER EVAPORATION FACILITIES Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 47 Methods ........................................................................................................................................ 48 Pond Facilities Descriptions .................................................................................................... 48 Dynamic Flux ChamBer Measurements .................................................................................. 49 Meteorological Measurements .............................................................................................. 50 Water Samples ........................................................................................................................ 51 Results and Discussion .................................................................................................................. 51 Water Chemistry ..................................................................................................................... 51 Emissions from Different Pond Surface Types ........................................................................ 52 i Factors that Influenced Emission Rates .................................................................................. 54 Comparison to Basin-wide Emissions ..................................................................................... 55 Uncertainties and Next Steps ........................................................................................................ 56 Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 56 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 56 References ..................................................................................................................................... 57 SURVEY OF BASINS AND VALLEYS IN THE WESTERN USA FOR THE CAPACITY TO PRODUCE WINTER OZONE Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... 59 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 64 Survey of Thermal Inversions ........................................................................................................ 66 Survey of Snow Cover .................................................................................................................... 71 Survey of Ozone-Favorable Meteorology ..................................................................................... 71 Survey of Oil, Gas, and Coal Bed Methane Production ................................................................. 76 Survey of Population ..................................................................................................................... 78 Survey of Wind Speed ................................................................................................................... 79 Survey of Total Ultraviolet Radiation ............................................................................................ 80 Ozone Monitoring in the Upper Snake River Plain ........................................................................ 82 Average Winter Ozone Concentrations in Seven Basins ............................................................... 86 Discussion of the OBserved Ozone Concentrations in Seven Basins ............................................. 88 Predictions for the Ozone Concentration in the Remaining Five Basins ....................................... 89 Case-by-Case Examination of Ozone Seasons in Each of the Seven Basins ................................... 89 A. Uintah Basin .................................................................................................................... 90 B. Upper Green River Basin ................................................................................................. 95 C. Price River Valley ........................................................................................................... 100 D. Wind River Basin ........................................................................................................... 102 E. Upper Snake River Plain ................................................................................................ 105 F. Cache Valley ................................................................................................................... 107 G. Salt Lake Valley ............................................................................................................. 109 Yellowstone Caldera .................................................................................................................... 116 Blow-over from the Wasatch Front into the Uintah Basin .......................................................... 117 Unanswered Questions ............................................................................................................... 118 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................. 119 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................... 119 References ................................................................................................................................... 120 Appendix A .................................................................................................................................. 122 Appendix B .................................................................................................................................

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