Measure Twice, Cut Once

To meet ambitious methane emissions reduction goals the oil and gas industry must first understand when and where emissions are happening. However, this has proven to be challenging, with some measurements finding methane being released from U.S. oil and gas fields at a rate four times greater than previously thought. Such findings could spell trouble for efforts to meet emissions goals; however, expanded monitoring efforts, new technologies, and greater transparency also position the U.S. oil and gas industry as the world leader in clean oil and gas production.

Eyes in the Sky & Boots on the Ground

For a long time reducing methane emissions has meant manually checking wells and infrastructure with imaging cameras and repairing any leaks found. Although periodic monitoring like this is helpful, continuous monitoring of oil and gas fields or even entire regions gives a more thorough understanding of emissions. Continuous monitoring allows both early detection of unexpected emissions and long-term methane measurements.

Airborne sensors flown over the Permian Basin showed higher than expected emissions and satellite-borne monitoring hardware such as the instruments on MethaneSAT and GHGSat enable even greater coverage. However, these instruments are limited by the minimum threshold of emissions they can detect and satellite-based instruments are not able to detect methane at night or through heavy cloud cover. Ground-based monitoring will also be crucial, as this gives a closer and more detailed measure of emissions at specific locations.

At the same time there are many different groups interested in monitoring methane emissions. Oil and gas companies monitor their wells and facilities to satisfy regulatory requirements and limit waste of a valuable natural resource, governments collect data from producers and conduct their own surveys, and environmental groups carry out their own analysis to make sure measurements are accurate. Having different groups with different goals and motivations taking measurements gives a more detailed (albeit conflicting) picture of emissions.

Cooperation in the Open

Transparency and cooperation will be crucial for reducing methane emissions worldwide. To that end, oil and gas companies around the world have joined cooperative agreements like the Global Methane Pledge, Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP), and Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) to monitor and mitigate emissions. Research shows that companies and nations that have signed on to groups like these have lower average emissions intensities.

However, other large producers of oil and gas like Iran and the Russia have not joined OGMP or OGCI. Although producers like Russia publish methane emissions, there is little reason to trust these self-reported numbers. Researchers found an emissions intensity for Russian oil and gas that is nearly double the global average, and satellite observations found major undisclosed methane leaks in Russia. Additional satellite monitoring should help pinpoint methane sources in the future; however, what that means for emissions in countries who have not demonstrated a desire for cooperation and transparency is unclear.

What is clear though is the important role that oil and gas companies in the United States will play as the country works toward its climate goals. Monitoring, cooperation, and transparency will help companies identify emission sources and prioritize mitigation efforts. Better and more accessible emissions monitoring and improved mitigation technologies will allow U.S. oil and gas companies to continue as the global leader in clean energy production and help meet increased energy demand.

BioSqueeze assists our partners in the oil and gas industry by providing a suite of innovative well integrity solutions to efficiently and effectively remediate even the most difficult challenges.