David Hess’ Post

Here’s another story from me about trends in green house gas emissions in the US, particularly the northeast region, as oil and gas production has gone up. TLDR: CO2 has gone up in the northeast owing to increase in combustion of fuel on sites to keep up with the production. Methane which has 28 times the heat trapping capacity, has gone down but scientists argue the numbers company report are wildly inaccurate, as seen from independent satellite measurements.

“Certified gas,” as free of methane, is greenwashing. Nearly 40% of U.S. gas is “certified gas,” based on monitoring by non-regulated third parties engaged by O&G companies Oil Change International and Earthworks published a June 2024 report indicating "certified gas" data from from satellites furnishing info to the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) is totally unreliable. That’s because 1) MARS data misses pollution events monitored by continuous emissions monitors (CEMs); 2) CEMs belonging to Project Canary, a certifying firm, inexplicably go offline 25% of the time; 3) once alerted of problems, rare are fossil fuel industry just-in-time corrective actions taken; and 4) industry and regulators happen to view “certified gas” favourably. While MARS is intended to distribute alerts of methane leaks to governments, companies and operators, the aforementioned report highlights that participating stakeholders almost never get reports from CEM service providers. Nevertheless, gas producers and large-scale users that get a clean record from MARS publicize, and charge more for, having “certified gas.” Utilities charge higher rates for electricity generated by “certified gas” Sharon Wilson https://lnkd.in/e7ScKREG

The EPA's proposed rule aims to hold large emitters accountable by introducing a Waste Emissions Charge on excess methane emissions. The proposed rule will require a per-metric-ton (mt) fee on methane emissions above the identified thresholds released by most oil and gas operations. Read about this proposed change: https://hubs.ly/Q02nrwlZ0 #EPA #emission #methane #oilandgas #environment

On May 14, 2024, the EPA finalized revisions to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (Subpart W) for the oil and gas sector, driven by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Key changes include: 🌍 New emission source types 🔍 Updated calculation methodologies 📝 Revised reporting structure 🚀 Advanced measurement technologies Starting in 2024, facilities emitting over 25,000 metric tons of CO2e will face a Waste Emissions Charge (WEC). Most changes take effect on January 1, 2025, impacting reports for RY 2025. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gv3_3AUr

Which methane reduction applications provide the best economic return? What are the latest regulations and published plans related to methane reduction (in both Canada & the US)? An article in the BOE Report covers both in more detail. (link below) What strategies or technologies have you found most effective in reducing methane emissions in your operations? Share your experiences in the comments. https://lnkd.in/gGrBvpsn

🇪🇺 The #MethaneEmissions Regulation has been adopted by the Council of the European Union 🗞️ https://lnkd.in/dUEMevXR ℹ The regulation introduces new requirements on measuring, reporting and verifying (MRV) methane emissions in the #energy sector. 🔹 Mitigation measures, such as detecting and repairing methane leaks and limiting venting and flaring, will aim to avoid methane emissions. 🔹 Global monitoring tools will ensure transparency on methane emissions from imports of oil, gas and coal into the EU. 🎯 The Council highlights 3 aspects of the new regulation: 1️⃣ Stricter rules on monitoring and reporting 📏 Operators will have to measure methane emissions at source level and draw up monitoring reports that will be checked by independent accredited verifiers. 📊 Member states will maintain and regularly update an inventory of all wells, as well as mitigation plans for inactive wells, in order to prevent any public health and environmental risks from methane emissions. They will also measure and monitor emissions from coalmines which have been closed or abandoned for less than 70 years, since methane continues to be released even when production is halted. ⏲ National authorities will carry out periodic inspections to check and ensure operators' compliance with the requirements of the regulation, including the taking of follow-up remedial measures. 2️⃣ Prevention and mitigation measures 🕵♂️ Under the new rules, operators will have to detect and repair methane leaks. 🔎 Operators will need to carry out surveys of methane leaks in different types of infrastructures at set intervals. 🔧 Operators will then need to repair or replace all components above certain methane leak levels immediately after detection, and no later than five days thereafter. The set deadline for a full repair under the new rules is 30 days. 🚫 In addition, the regulation bans venting and flaring methane from drainage stations by 2025 and from ventilation shafts by 2027, unless it is strictly necessary or the event of an emergency or malfunction. 3️⃣ Methane emissions outside the EU 🛃 Methane emissions from the EU’s energy imports will also be traced. The new rules will introduce global monitoring tools to increase the transparency of methane emissions from imports of oil, gas and coal into the EU. 🐾 NEXT STEPS 📆 The regulation will enter into force on the twentieth day following publication in the Official Journal of the EU. 🔁 The Commission will review the application of the regulation in 2028, including the level of emissions reduction achieved. #EUGreenDeal #Fitfor55

The latest National Inventory Report shows that oilsands emissions are not slowing down. That’s undermining progress in the rest of the oil and gas sector, where methane regulations are starting to make a difference. It’s another reminder that well-designed regulations can work to reduce oil and gas emissions, by giving companies the right signals about investing in decarbonization. It’s also why we urgently need the federal government to implement its proposed emissions cap, so that we can see oilsands companies start to make those investments. Read more:

🚨 Breaking News 🚨 Today, the U.S. EPA issued a final rule updating methane emissions reporting requirements for petroleum and natural gas systems under EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. Stop by booth #3205 at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) to learn more about what #MAFA is doing to help the #oilandgas industry reduce #methane emissions through #progressoverpromises! https://lnkd.in/eSH_nkmu.

EPA announced a proposed rule to implement the Inflation Reduction Act’s Methane Waste Emissions Charge. The proposed rule would collect an annual charge on reported methane emissions from petroleum and natural gas facilities that emit more than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year as reported under Subpart W (Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems) of EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. EPA is holding a virtual public hearing on the proposed rule on February 12, 2024. #EPAmethanecharge #InflationReductionAct #fightclimatechange

The first ever EU-wide rules to enforce methane compliance monitoring practices are enacted. From now on: fossil gas, oil and coal industry in Europe has to measure, monitor, report and verify their methane emissions according to the highest monitoring standards, and act timely to reduce them. Satellite observations are mentioned as the official monitoring tool in this context. This legal action draws the first bold contours of the emerging GHG compliance monitoring market, that can incentivize the development of new high resolution satellite monitoring instruments sensitive to GHG emission hotspots 🏭 🛰