Daniel Zavala-Araiza
Senior Scientist II
Work
Areas of expertise:
Methane emissions, environmental impacts of energy systems, environmental justice
Description
Daniel Zavala-Araiza is a senior scientist working in the Office of Chief Scientist as part of the EDF team. His current research focuses on providing actionable data that can accelerate the mitigation of methane emissions. He leads a team of scientists around the world focused on improving our understanding of how much and where methane pollution is taking place. He is based in Utrecht, The Netherlands where he is also a visiting researcher at Utrecht University.
Background
Dr. Zavala-Araiza obtained a B.S. in chemical engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, where he carried out research on environmental implications of shale gas production.
He has additional graduate studies around the social implications of science and technology and has worked in Environmental Justice projects in Mexico. He has taught courses on sustainability and environmental science.
Education
Ph.D. – University of Texas at Austin
B.S. – Universidad Iberoamericana (Chemical Engineering)
Publications
Yuzhong Zhang et al. ,Quantifying methane emissions from the largest oil-producing basin in the United States from space.Sci. Adv.6,eaaz5120(2020).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.aaz5120
Alvarez RA, Zavala-Araiza D, Lyon DR, Allen DT, Barkley ZR, Brandt AR, Davis KJ, Herndon SC, Jacob DJ, Karion A, Kort EA, Lamb BK, Lauvaux T, Maasakkers JD, Marchese AJ, Omara M, Pacala SW, Peischl J, Robinson AL, Shepson PB, Sweeney C, Townsend-Small A, Wofsy SC, Hamburg SP. Assessment of methane emissions from the U.S. oil and gas supply chain. Science. 2018 Jul 13;361(6398):186-188. doi: 10.1126/science.aar7204. Epub 2018 Jun 21. PMID: 29930092; PMCID: PMC6223263.
Zavala-Araiza, D., Alvarez, R., Lyon, D. et al. Super-emitters in natural gas infrastructure are caused by abnormal process conditions. Nat Commun 8, 14012 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14012
Zavala-Araiza, D., Lyon, D.R., Alvarez, R.A., Davis, K.J., Harriss, R., Herndon, S.C., Karion, A., Kort, E.A., Lamb, B.K., Lan, X. and Marchese, A.J., 2015. Reconciling divergent estimates of oil and gas methane emissions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(51), pp.15597-15602.
Zavala-Araiza, D.; Lyon, D.; Alvarez, R. A.; Palacios, V.; Harriss, R.; Lan, X.; Talbot, R.; Hamburg, S. P. (2015) Toward a functional definition of methane super-emitters: Application to natural gas production sites. Environ. Sci. Technol. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b00133
Lyon, D. R.; Zavala-Araiza, D.; Alvarez, R. A.; Harriss, R.; Palacios, V.; Lan, X.; Talbot, R.; Lavoie, T.; Shepson, P.; Yacovitch, T.I.; et al. (2015). Constructing a spatially resolved methane emission inventory for the Barnett Shale Region. Environ. Sci. Technol. DOI: 10.1021/es506359c.
Zavala-Araiza, D., Allen, D. T., Harrison, M., Fiji, G., Jersey, G., (2015) Allocating Emissions to Natural Gas and Oil Production from Shale Formations. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. Accepted.
Allen, D. T.; Pacsi, A. P.; Sullivan, D. W.; Zavala-Araiza, D.; Harrison, M.; Keen, K.; 395 Fraser, M. P.; Hill, A. D.; Sawyer, R. F.; Seinfeld, J. H. (2014) Methane Emissions from Process Equipment at Natural Gas Production Sites in the United States: Pneumatic Controllers. Environmental science & technology, DOI: 10.1021/es5040156
Allen, D. T.; Sullivan, D. W.; Zavala-Araiza, D.; Pacsi, A. P.; Harrison, M.; Keen, K.; 399 Fraser, M. P.; Hill, A. D.; Lamb, B. K.; Sawyer, R. F.; Seinfeld, J. H. (2014) Methane Emissions 400 from Process Equipment at Natural Gas Production Sites in the United States: Liquids Unloadings Environmental science & technology, DOI: 10.1021/es504016r
Zavala-Araiza, D., Sullivan, D. W., Allen, D.T., (2014) Atmospheric hydrocarbon emissions and concentrations in the Barnett Shale natural gas production region. Environmental science & technology, 48, 5314−5321.
Pacsi, A. P., Alhajeri, N. S., Zavala-Araiza, D., Webster, M. D., & Allen, D. T. (2013). Regional Air Quality Impacts of Increased Natural Gas Production and Use in Texas. Environmental science & technology, 47(7), 3521-3527.</p
Latest pieces
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Robust, reliable data is key to unlocking global methane reductions
Energy Exchange, November 21, 2023 -
Inefficient and unlit natural gas flares both emit large quantities of methane
Science, September 29, 2022 -
Methane emissions from US low production oil and natural gas well sites
Nature Communications, April 19, 2022 -
Mexico can rebuild a cleaner, stronger energy economy post COVID-19
Energy Exchange, June 22, 2020 -
Global risk assessment of high nitrous oxide emissions from rice production
Source, September 10, 2018
Press materials
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EPA Finalizes Updates to Methane Reporting Requirements that Serve as Basis for Waste Emissions Charge
May 6, 2024 -
EPA’s Methane Reporting Proposal Highlights Critical Importance of Empirical and Accurate Data
July 6, 2023 -
New Oil and Gas Study Shows – Once Again – Industry is Severely Underreporting Methane Emissions
March 22, 2018