Satellite-Based Methane Emission Monitoring: A Review Across Industries

Satellite remote sensing has become an increasingly important approach for detecting and quantifying methane emissions across spatial and temporal scales. While most reviews in the literature have addressed aspects of methane monitoring, they often focus primarily on satellite platforms or provide discussions on retrieval methodologies. This review offers an integrated assessment of recent developments in satellite-based methane detection, combining technical evaluations of satellite instruments with detailed analysis of retrieval techniques and sector-specific applications. The paper distinguishes between area flux mappers and point-source imagers and reviews both established and recent satellite missions, including GHGSat, MethaneSAT, and PRISMA. Retrieval methods are critically compared, covering full-physics models, CO2 proxy approaches, optimal estimation, and emerging data-driven techniques such as machine learning. The review further examines methane emission characteristics in key sectors, i.e., oil and gas, coal mining, agriculture, and waste management, and discusses how satellite data are applied in emission estimation and mitigation contexts. The paper concludes by identifying technical and operational challenges and outlining research directions to enhance the accuracy, accessibility, and policy relevance of satellite-based methane monitoring.