Post AxkzgQCyuzCGTm94im by robs@aus.social
 (DIR) More posts by robs@aus.social
 (DIR) Post #AxkzgIhWpWsVCCNMDw by robs@aus.social
       2025-09-01T00:57:11Z
       
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       Holy shit, this thing was leaking up to 184kg of methane an hour into our atmosphere for 14 years and now they're thinking of refilling it? Without even fixing it??And how big would an explosion be, are we talking like that 2020 one in Beirut or what?https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-01/methane-leak-darwin-lng-plant-kept-secret-from-public/105692718
       
 (DIR) Post #AxkzgJxAAsyj4yhMES by Su_G@aus.social
       2025-09-01T02:46:31Z
       
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       @robs Good questions!! Makes a mockery of other earnest methane-reducing endeavors - as you say - to have this methane-leaking mega-tank in Darwin going on for years, & so close to population centres.🙁Strange that company accounting didn’t reveal any discrepancy… but maybe that’s not how it works. Suspicious timing of disclosures at time of sale & amount of buckpassing between companies, govt & regulators (of which there seem to be an awful lot but not one that can take action) undermines any trust in future plans. 🙁Only useful idea on how to improve the situation - as ABC reports - comes from Sims: “… former head of Australia’s competition watchdog, says it is “absolutely crucial” to start forcing companies like Santos to effectively measure, control and publicly report fugitive methane emissions.“I think the government regulations are the problem that are allowing companies to take a bit of latitude, so let’s fix that,” he says.Might add that what companies report needs to be audited as well because of that lack of trust. But this is the NT… 🙁https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-01/methane-leak-darwin-lng-plant-kept-secret-from-public/105692718
       
 (DIR) Post #AxkzgKyyLe1IGsYJgu by publius@mastodon.sdf.org
       2025-09-01T08:44:20Z
       
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       @Su_G @robs The capacity of the tank is something like a quarter–million tonnes, based on its dimensions. 184 kg/h just isn’t going to show up, and the resulting air concentrations will be difficult to detect with conventional equipment.This is very different to the situation with radioactive materials, which can very easily be detected in exceedingly small concentrations, and do not require to be handled in such large volumes.#AtomicPowerToThePeople
       
 (DIR) Post #AxkzgQCyuzCGTm94im by robs@aus.social
       2025-09-01T01:00:35Z
       
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       All this effort the CSIRO went through to invent methane-neutralising seaweed feed for cows and this fucking thing is just leaking that shit straight through the wall cavities into the surrounding ground and atmosphere because it's defective
       
 (DIR) Post #AxlGS1TvkjmsxQnEEi by Su_G@aus.social
       2025-09-01T11:52:14Z
       
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       @publiusHey thanks for weighing in with the extra info! So you don’t think that amount of methane leakage would show up even over time? (Sorry to be so ignorant about the physics…) @robs
       
 (DIR) Post #Axlt9fyEt9JdF3DD2e by publius@mastodon.sdf.org
       2025-09-01T19:06:09Z
       
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       @Su_G @robs The plain truth is, the kinds of measuring instruments used in these contexts just aren’t that sensitive. If they have a random error of ±1%, then that kind of leakage would quickly disappear into the noise. You’re talking about a loss of a couple of hundred liters a day, against filling a tanker once a week with 100 000 cubic meters. A tiny difference in temperature and therefore density between the output of the liquefaction plant and delivery to the tanker would mask that.
       
 (DIR) Post #AxmkDTJZBEzuicsnVA by Su_G@aus.social
       2025-09-02T05:00:39Z
       
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       @publius Thanks for your time to answer my naïve question, appreciated. 🙂I think - based on the way it’s written about in the media stories to date - the tank is conceptualised as simply sitting there, full but leaking, rather than as constantly being refilled. And leaking a little bit (relative to its full capacity). So in the scale of things there’s little business imperative to repair the tank; whereas maintaining or repairing the social license is another matter. Is that a fair call?@robs
       
 (DIR) Post #AxmmDoJRJIRtkd7356 by publius@mastodon.sdf.org
       2025-09-02T05:23:01Z
       
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       @Su_G @robs At the moment, I believe the tank is essentially empty — but they are getting ready to put it back into service, filling and emptying it on a frequent basis.