In a groundbreaking collaboration, Google has joined forces with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to address the issue of climate-warming emissions from oil and gas operations. This partnership aims to expose and monitor the sources of these emissions by utilizing a new satellite, MethaneSAT, which is set to launch next month.

MethaneSAT is one of several satellites that will be deployed to track methane emissions worldwide and identify the major sources of this potent greenhouse gas. The consortium leading this initiative includes EDF, the New Zealand Space Agency, Harvard University, and other key stakeholders.

The data collected by MethaneSAT will be made available later this year, with Google Cloud offering its computing capabilities to process this valuable information. Additionally, Google plans to utilize artificial intelligence to create a map of oil and gas infrastructure, identifying components like oil tanks. The data on emissions collected by MethaneSAT will then be overlaid onto this map, providing crucial insights into the types of equipment that are most prone to leakage.

This vital information will be accessible through Google Earth Engine, a geospatial analysis platform, later this year. Earth Engine, which is free for researchers, nonprofits, and the news media, offers a powerful tool in understanding and mitigating methane emissions from the oil and gas industry.

"We believe that this information is incredibly valuable for energy companies, researchers, and the public sector in their efforts to anticipate and reduce methane emissions from the components that are most susceptible," stated Yael Maguire, Vice President of Geo Sustainability at Google, during a call with reporters.

This collaboration comes at a time when governments worldwide are intensifying efforts to combat greenhouse gas emissions. Over 50 major state-owned and independent oil and gas operators, including industry giants like ExxonMobil and Saudi Aramco, have committed to significantly reduce methane leaks by the end of the decade as pledged at the COP28 climate summit.

The United States, being one of the largest methane-emitting countries, has proposed mandatory measures to curb leaks from oil and gas operations. A new rule by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is set to enable the public to report large methane leaks to federal regulators, provided they have access to methane detection technology.

By identifying and monitoring methane emissions more effectively, this partnership between Google and EDF holds the potential to support energy companies, researchers, and the public sector in their ongoing efforts to tackle climate change. With the launch of MethaneSAT and the integration of its data into Google's mapping capabilities, the fight against methane emissions takes a significant step forward.