The Methane Malady: How New Rules Will Curb?Natural Gas's Climate Impact

The methane molecule is a silent climate killer lurking in the energy supply chain. As a greenhouse gas, methane is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term, and leaks from wells and pipelines are rampant.

New federal rules aimed at curbing methane emissions from existing oil and gas operations announced this week are a welcome step towards mitigating the massive climate impact of natural gas. For too long, oil and gas companies have been able to pollute with impunity.

The new regulations will require companies to monitor wells and pipelines for leaks, repair faulty equipment quickly, and limit venting and flaring of excess gas.

By some estimates, the rules could reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by up to 65 percent. While more work remains to transition fully from fossil fuels, cutting methane is low-hanging fruit in the fight against climate change.

The methane molecule may be invisible, but its effects are deadly serious.

Tackling methane emissions is a chance to win a major battle in the climate war.

The Methane Problem: Why Natural Gas Leaks Are a Major Source of Emissions

Natural gas, consisting primarily of methane, is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential more than 80 times that of carbon dioxide over 20 years.

When natural gas leaks during production, processing, storage, transmission, and distribution, it releases substantial amounts of methane into the atmosphere.

These fugitive methane emissions account for the largest source of anthropogenic methane pollution in the U.S. and a sizable percentage of greenhouse gas emissions.

To curb climate change and meet emissions reduction goals, reducing methane leaks from the oil and gas industry is crucial.

The latest EPA regulations will require companies to monitor wells and compressors for methane leaks and make necessary repairs. Operators must conduct quarterly inspections at well sites and?biannual inspections of compressor stations using infrared cameras and other advanced monitoring equipment to detect even small leaks. Repairs must then be made within a specified time period.

Stricter rules around leak detection and repair will significantly decrease methane emissions, providing substantial climate and public health benefits.

With natural gas production projected to increase 40% by 2030, cutting methane waste and pollution is imperative to avoid exacerbating the climate crisis. The new EPA rules are an important step towards reducing methane emissions and transitioning to cleaner energy.

Biden's Bold New Rules to Plug Leaky Wells and Cut Methane

The Biden administration finalized the strongest-ever federal regulations in the U.S. covering the methane emissions that leak from existing oil and gas wells.

These bold new rules aim to curb the massive climate impact of methane, a potent greenhouse gas 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 20-year period.

Plugging Leaky Wells

The regulations will require oil and gas companies to monitor wells for methane leaks and make necessary repairs. Regular inspections of well sites must be conducted using advanced technologies like infrared cameras to detect even small leaks. Operators will then be obligated to fix faulty equipment like valves, connectors, and compressors that could be releasing methane gas.

The EPA estimates these new rules could cut 41 million tons of methane emissions from 2023 to 2035, equivalent to 920 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Slashing Emissions

In addition to reducing emissions from leaky equipment, the regulations also limit venting and flaring from oil and gas wells.

Venting refers to the direct release of unburned natural gas into the atmosphere while flaring burns off excess gas. Under the new rules, companies can only vent or flare in emergencies or for safety reasons.

Exceptions are also made for certain wells that emit very little pollution.?

The methane rules are a crucial step in tackling the climate crisis and transitioning to cleaner energy.

By stopping natural gas from escaping into the air, they ensure we make the most of this resource and minimize its environmental footprint.

The regulations demonstrate the Biden administration's commitment to ambitious climate action and are poised to make a real difference in curbing global warming.

The Road Ahead: How Tougher Regulations Will Slash Natural Gas's Climate Impact and Emissions

The newly established federal regulations covering methane emissions from existing oil and gas infrastructure will significantly curb the climate impact of natural gas.

By requiring energy companies to adopt technologies and practices to detect and repair leaks, the amount of methane released into the atmosphere during natural gas production and transportation will be substantially reduced.

Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 84 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.

Even small leaks and unintended emissions from equipment like valves, connectors, compressors, and storage tanks can have a sizable cumulative impact.

The regulations target these “fugitive” emissions by mandating more frequent inspections, repairs, and upgrades to curb leaks and unintended releases.

Natural gas has been promoted as a “bridge” fuel in the transition to renewable energy due to lower carbon dioxide emissions when burned compared to coal or oil. However, if sizable amounts of methane are leaked during the production and transportation process, the climate benefits are negated.

By reducing methane emissions, the new rules will help ensure natural gas provides a net benefit in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global temperature rise.

Overall, cutting methane leaks and tightening regulations is one of the most cost-effective strategies for rapidly reducing the oil and gas industry’s environmental footprint.

The road ahead includes close monitoring to guarantee compliance, investment in new technologies to improve leak detection, and a shared commitment to minimizing emissions. With the proper safeguards and oversight in place, natural?gas will serve as an ally, not an adversary, in the fight against climate change.

But first, we must curb the methane menace.

About 50 oil and gas companies signed onto a “decarbonization charter” at COP28

The companies were committing to reduce the ratio of methane released to fuels produced to 0.2% by 2030, and to capture the gas instead of flaring it.

The Biden administration’s new regulations aim to curb methane emissions from existing oil and gas operations. Around 50 major oil and gas companies have pledged to help reduce methane released relative to production to 0.2% by 2030.

They also committed to capturing excess gas instead of burning it off (known as “flaring”).

Reducing Leaks

The regulations will require companies to monitor equipment like valves, pumps, and compressors for leaks. Frequent inspections and repairs can significantly cut methane released by faulty equipment.

The rules also mandate that companies capture gas from completed wells that would otherwise be vented or flared. Installing vapor recovery units and connecting wells to pipeline infrastructure can help companies meet this standard.

Transitioning from Flaring

Roughly 5% of natural gas extracted in the U.S. is burned off at the well site, emitting carbon dioxide and other pollutants. The new rules push companies to curb this practice by capturing excess gas using vapor recovery technology and transporting it to market via pipelines.

Some companies are also exploring using the captured gas on-site to power equipment like generators, compressors, and dehydrators.

Companies like Modern Hydrogen strip carbon from methane before it is combusted, so carbon dioxide and other pollutants are not created or emitted.

Driving Innovation

Regulating methane emissions will accelerate new technologies to detect, quantify, and mitigate leaks.

Aerospace companies are developing next-generation satellites, drones, and aircraft to identify methane hotspots.

Sensor?companies are creating low-cost, high-precision detectors for well pads and compressor stations.

Software companies are building data platforms to help companies analyze emissions, set reduction targets, and take corrective actions.

Together, these innovations can transform how the oil and gas industry monitors and manages methane.

The methane rules are an important step toward mitigating the worst effects of climate change. Cutting oil and gas methane emissions in half could have the same short-term climate benefit as closing one-third of the world’s coal plants.

With new regulations and technologies in place, the U.S. can curb methane and transition to cleaner energy sources.

Conclusion

Support leaders and policies that prioritize reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to low-carbon energy. Every action matters in the fight against global warming. The new methane rules are an important step, but more work remains. Keep the pressure on lawmakers and companies to make the changes necessary to avoid catastrophic climate change. Our planet depends on it.

Want to learn more about this news from COP28? Try this PBS NewsHour podcast segment: What to know about the COP28 deal and new U.S. rules to cut methane emissions - Dec 2, 2023