Industry must come together to continually reduce emissions of methane

Earlier this week, Global Energy Monitor published a report, which challenges the relative greenhouse gas emissions benefits of liquefied natural gas (LNG) compared to coal.

The report only tells half the story by solely focusing on emissions that occur when LNG is produced. It does not factor in emissions that take place when natural gas is used by consumers. I believe it’s critical to look at both.

The International Energy Agency has done so. And it found that natural gas emits 45-55% lower greenhouse gas emissions than coal when burnt for power.

And natural gas contributes to cleaner air by significantly reducing emissions like NOX, SOX and other particulate matter that determine air quality. Compared to coal-fired power plants, modern natural gas-fired power plants emit less than one tenth of those pollutants.

Despite disagreeing with the analysis from Global Energy Monitor, I welcome the debate it has triggered over the past few days.

I believe that natural gas has a vital role to play in providing more and cleaner energy around the world. It is one of the few energy sources that can meet growing demand while reducing emissions from electricity generation, industry, the built environment and transport. And natural gas is a partner for renewable energy from solar panels and wind turbines, to serve as back-up for when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow.

The place of natural gas in the global energy mix alongside renewables depends on getting to grips with its environmental impact, especially emissions of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas.

Many companies are taking action to bring down methane emissions further. Shell – through the Methane Guiding Principles and other alliances – is working with NGOs, academics, multilateral institutions and other companies to continually reduce methane emissions, from production to the final consumer.

Much more needs to be done. And we need help. So if you work for an oil and gas company and you want to lower methane leakage rates to expand the environmental benefit of using gas in place of coal, please get in touch (with my colleague Tom Baird) so we can demonstrate good product stewardship of gas together.