I am concerned about poor testing methods and false readings in performing the tests to find methane sources. Natural gas is not the only source of methane leaks in cities. Methane could come from storm sewers, rotting vegetation, leaky sanitary sewers and other sources like Jimmy Hoffa’s body.

Unless you knew you were directly over a natural gas line you could not be certain that the methane source is natural gas related. Even if you were directly over a gas line you could not be certain unless you excavated that pipe and confirmed the leak. I have performed many gas leak detection surveys even outside of cities in the wide open country and have detected methane but the source was not from a natural gas pipeline in many cases. We had found drain tile that emitted methane due to rotting vegetation and dead animals. We also have had methane detectors sound off due to farmers spreading pig or cattle manure on fields and around sloughs that produced methane due to rotting vegetation, fish and dead critters.

It would be wise to publish and confirm how the tests were performed, was it by a reputable tester and how the leaks were confirmed. Any idiot with a gas analyzer can detect methane gas but confirming and translating data is a different story.