A recently published scientific study outlining the results of the pioneering shipborne expedition conducted along a 10,000 km route from Spain to Abu Dhabi initiated by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), partnered with researchers of the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) of the Cyprus Institute and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC), has uncovered significant methane emission hotspots and uncertainties. Since methane is a potent greenhouse gas, this contributes significantly to climate change. The study revealed that measured methane concentrations in the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Suez far exceeded model predictions. It also highlighted notable inconsistencies in emission estimates from the Middle East’s oil and gas sector. Due to these findings, the study stresses the importance of ground-based measurements for improving the accuracy of methane emission inventories and their reporting, and as a means towards more effective climate policies and actions.

Methane has nearly 28 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide, making it of critical focus for climate action. Due also to its relatively short atmospheric lifetime of about a decade, rapid reductions in methane could bring immediate climate benefits. This underscores the importance of accurately identifying its sources, particularly in regions like the Middle East, where estimates rely heavily on satellite data and reports. To address these gaps, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) partnered with researchers from CARE-C of the Cyprus Institute (CyI) and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) to conduct in situ measurements across the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf using EAD’s new marine research vessel Jaywun.

As the researchers sailed across the Mediterranean, they found methane levels aligned with model predictions, indicating accurate emission inventories for Europe’s outflow. However, in the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Suez, methane levels were much higher than expected. “The highest emissions we measured came from a combination of sources that satellites can’t easily distinguish,” explained Dr Efstratios Bourtsoukidis, Assistant Professor at The Cyprus Institute and first author of the study. “By analyzing methane alongside other hydrocarbons, we could trace emissions to urban activities, oil and gas operations, marine traffic, and leaks from the Red Sea floor.” This method helps identify methane sources and highlights the importance of examining methane emissions and other pollutants, to gain insights into how air quality issues are intertwined with climate change.

Upon entering the Arabian Peninsula, the researchers encountered methane emissions influenced by regional oil and gas operations, and the measurements diverged when compared with two leading emission inventories —one inventory significantly underestimated the emissions, while the other overestimated them. The study noted that this discrepancy underscores the gaps in our understanding of methane emissions from the oil and gas sector in this region and highlights the urgent need for more accurate, region-specific data.

The study concluded by stressing the need for further targeted field campaigns and long-term ground-based observations to improve the accuracy of emission data in regional inventories.  It also underscored the need for stronger international collaboration to improve methane monitoring and emission inventories. Particularly as this is vital for shaping effective climate policies and tackling methane’s significant role in global warming.

Original publication: Bourtsoukidis, E., Germain‐Piaulenne, E., Gros, V., Quéhé, P.‐Y., Pikridas, M., Byron, J., et al. (2024). Attribution of excess methane emissions over marine environments of the Mediterranean and Arabian Peninsula. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 129, e2024JD041621. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JD041621  

Contact: For more information, please contact Assistant Professor at CARE-C of the Cyprus Institute Dr Efstratios Bourtsoukidis: [email protected]