Methane emissions from natural gas system

*Only an introduction to the research paper is required. Please include the research questions and a brief explaination of our methodology in this introduction.*

Research Topic:
Methane emissions from : Do the sources differ across ?

Background:
Natural gas is less CO2-intensive than coal and is contributing to the decarbonization of energy systems in various locations. Reductions in CO2 emissions from the US power sector since 2005, for instance, have been caused largely by the displacement of coal by natural gas. Hong Kong is also using a shift to natural gas to from electricity generation over the next decade. However, the transition from coal to natural gas can come with unintended consequences in the form of methane (CH4) leakage from the natural gas supply chain. Recent literature has shed light on methane emissions from natural gas supply chains across multiple countries, raising questions about the drivers of these emissions and whether they differ across countries.

Research questions:
– How much do individual natural gas supply chain sectors (production, processing, storage/transmission, distribution) contribute to total estimated methane emissions from natural gas systems in different countries with (Russia, China, Canada, and the USA)?
– How do (mass of natural gas lost relative to production) differ across these countries?
– What are potential reasons for differences in leakage rates (i.e., emissions intensities) across countries (e.g., differences in the age of natural gas supply chains, methane regulations, and emissions targets)?