# Tribal Air Quality Initiatives (2023) > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Asouthern_ute%3A96b408f538929d55 ## Record - **Collection:** Tribal code - **Document type:** Tribal code ## Text Tribal Air Quality Initiatives Southern Ute Indian Tribe / State of Colorado Environmental Commission Meeting November 29, 2023 Presenter: Graham Stahnke, PE Southern Ute Department of Energy Exploration and Regulatory Manager 11/29/2023 Page 2 Agenda • Introduction • Tribal Air Quality Initiatives • Methane Seepage and Vent Well Project • Methane Detection and Quantification • Questions 11/29/2023 Page 3 DOE Mission and Goals MISSION The mission of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Department of Energy is to ensure that the members of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe receive maximum benefit from the energy and mineral resources located on their Reservation while at the same time minimizing the impact of extraction of the resources on the natural and cultural environment Related Goal Further support the development of energy transition projects that provide economic synergies for the Tribe’s energy companies 11/29/2023 Page 4 Agenda • Introduction • Tribal Air Quality Initiatives • Methane Seepage and Vent Well Project • Methane Detection and Quantification • Questions 11/29/2023 Page 5 Voluntary Operational Initiatives • Reduce carbon intensity of oil and gas production – Certification of produced natural gas and midstream operations by 3rd party verifier – Voluntary continuous emissions monitoring at new facilities • Embrace carbon capture – Arkansas Loop CO2 capture and pipeline 11/29/2023 Page 6 Academic Initiatives • National Petroleum Council Study on GHG Emissions from the Natural Gas Supply Chain • Collaborations with The Payne Institute and Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab (EEMDL) 11/29/2023 Page 7 Energy Transition Initiatives • Embrace new technology to support carbon neutral energy development Coyote Clean Power Project Rendering – Coyote Clean Power Project – Enhanced Geothermal – Hydrogen • Electrification and grid resiliency work with LPEA 11/29/2023 Page 8 Agenda • Introduction • Tribal Air Quality Initiatives • Methane Seepage and Vent Well Project • Methane Detection and Quantification • Questions 11/29/2023 Page 9 Fruitland Outcrop, Methane Hotspot and the Reservation 4‐Corners Methane Hotspot 2014 Geophysical Research Letters and subsequent November 2020 Elementa Publication https://www.methanesat.org/satellite/ 11/29/2023 Page 10 Fruitland Formation Outcrop Seeps 11/29/2023 Page 11 Vent Well Project • • Over a 10‐year period (2008‐2018) Tribe intercepted 2.5 bcf of methane through vent wells prior to the methane venting along the Fruitland Outcrop Successfully sold carbon credits equating to over 420,000 metric tons of CO2 11/29/2023 Page 12 • • The Enhanced Outcrop Methane Capture project aims to increase methane capture by drilling two shallow horizontal pilot wells into the Fruitland Formation Utilize advanced methane sensing for quantification of impacts Enhanced Outcrop Methane Capture Utilize modern horizontal drilling technology and subsurface modeling to enhance interception of methane/CO2 downdip of outcrop reducing greenhouse gas emissions Link methane capture to potential power projects to increase value of electricity sold Expand footprint to encompass additional portions of the Outcrop located on the Reservation 11/29/2023 Page 13 Enhanced Outcrop Methane Capture Project Team and Funding Partners 11/29/2023 Page 14 Agenda • Introduction • Tribal Air Quality Initiatives • Methane Seepage and Vent Well Project • Methane Detection and Quantification • Questions 11/29/2023 Page 15 Methane Detection and Quantification • Ground‐based Detection • Flyover/Aerial Detection • Satellite Detection https://www.bridgerphotonics.com/ https://www.trellisense.com/ 11/29/2023 Page 16 Ground‐based Methane Detection • Pedestrian Surveys – Completed on an annual basis since 2008 – Working with Colorado School of Mines to analyze historic and new survey data • Laser‐based Sensors • Metal Oxide Sensors • Optical Gas Imaging 11/29/2023 Page 17 Flyover/Aerial Detection • Completed flyover of Outcrop in September 2023 with Bridger Photonics • Data currently undergoing analysis and quantification – Challenging due to local topography and meteorology 11/29/2023 Page 18 11/29/2023 Page 19 Satellite Detection MethaneSAT 11/29/2023 Page 20 Thank You! 11/29/2023 Page 21 --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Asouthern_ute%3A96b408f538929d55. Public record. Not legal advice.