Aerosol formation from oil and gas development in the Eagle Ford Shale in two different seasons

Unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) has grown significantly in the United States in the last several decades. This growth has influenced natural gas availability and reshaped the global energy economy. However, the effects on air quality remain uncertain. This work focuses on understanding the influence of UOGD on the air quality in the Eagle Ford Shale (EFS), a region in southeast Texas, through ambient measurements during two different seasons. Instrumentation was deployed to Karnes City, TX, located in the EFS, in the spring and fall of 2023. Instrumentation included ACSM, SEMS, and monitors for O₃, NO [subscript x] and NO₂ to measure concentrations and composition of aerosol and gas-phase pollutants. Episodic elevated concentrations of PM₁, NO [subscript x], O₃, and H₂S were observed during both campaigns. Meteorological data and VOC concentrations were also available from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The air pre-dominantly arrived from the northeast where the oil and gas well density is higher during the fall; however, the air came from the southeast during the spring. The UOGD emissions result in severe effects on air quality within the EFS and other OGD regions, as well as downwind regions such as San Antonio, Texas, which will struggle to meet the new Environmental Protection Agency standard for fine particulate matter.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Engineering

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemical Engineering

Grantor

The University of Texas at Austin

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• El Khoury, Lea

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hildebrandt Ruiz, Lea

• Ambient measurements
• Unconventional oil and gas development
• Particulate matter
• Texas

Language dc:language.iso

English

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.26153/tsw/61708

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repositories.lib.utexas.edu:2152/134383