US Oil and Gas Must Cut Methane 80% to Meet Industry Targets, New Data Shows
To meet their 2030 climate goals, fossil fuel producers need to curtail methane releases in key regions.
Permian Highway Pipeline signage near Monahans, Texas.
Photographer: Matthew Busch/BloombergOne of the most comprehensive aerial surveys of methane gushing from US oil and gas facilities shows operators must slash emissions by roughly 80% or more to meet major industry targets.
The nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund conducted about 30 flights between June and October of last year over fossil fuel basins that account for nearly three-quarters of onshore oil and gas production in the contiguous US. On average, the data collected show that around 1.6% of gross gas production is released as methane into the atmosphere. That’s about eight times higher than what many operators have pledged to reach by 2030 or earlier in a bid to limit their emissions under programs including the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative and the Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter.