The fossil fuel industry has a bounteous methane problem — and we ’re only just begin to realize how serious it is . The International Energy Agency releaseda new analysis Wednesdayfinding that methane emissions from free energy production are being severely undercounted and are up to 70 % high than official estimates provided by countries around the world .
While methane stay on in the atmosphere for a much shorter time than carbon dioxide , itpacks a veridical punchwhile it ’s up there — it ’s about80 times more stiff over a 20 - year period . Reducing methane emission as soon as potential is primal to guard off the worst impacts of climate change . The oil and gas manufacture is responsible for a bad chunk of methane emission , from processes during production including discharge and flaring — releasing surplus gas into the atmosphere — as well as leaks ( that can be substantial ) along the provision chain .
alas , according to this novel report , we ’re working with some seriously inaccurate number while try on to fix this problem . The IEA , one of the most authoritative vigor research bodies in the cosmos , provides news report and outlook that are used as the foundation of decisions from all sort of fiscal establishment , governments , and fossil fuel companies . This analysis , which relies on satellite observations and statistical modeling , for the first clock time factor in methane emission from coal minelaying and production into its figures , bump up China , whose coal industry is a big source of methane , into first place of all the emitter in the world . And while globose methane emission drop by 10 % in 2020 as the human beings keep out down due to the coronavirus pandemic , they ’re headed back up : emissions increase 5 % last twelvemonth from 2020 ’s service line , the IEA reported .
Smoke and steam rise from a coal processing plant in Hejin in central China’s Shanxi Province.Photo: Olivia Zhang (AP)
Not all dodo fuel - producing countries are make equal . The IEA noted that big petroleum - grow ball of fire in the Middle East have “ relatively low emissions intensity ” of methane , with few major making water ; meanwhile , Turkmenistan and other oil- and gas - producing parts of Central Asia bring about huge amount of leaks . The U.S. , meanwhile , is the third largest emitter of methane from fogy fuel product , thanks in large part to emissions from the explosion in fossil oil and gas output inTexas ’s Permian Basin .
Curbing methane emissions from oil and gaseous state yield has long been seen as a “ low - hang fruit ” mood result : We sleep with how to bushel leaks and stop up holes , and producers can find ways to better regularize and eliminate discharge and flaring . What ’s especially thwarting about the IEA ’s update is that the petroleum and gas industry is in reality recede money by being so bad at methane control . As gas monetary value are rising , the IEA pointed out , the industry would stomach to do good from tightening up its production procedure and sell all that extra gas .
Despite the overwhelming evidence of the nett benefit of methane regulations and oil and gas producers ’ pledges that they ’re working firmly to fix the job , big polluters are still dragging their feet on in reality having anyone shape or more close maintain emission from their activities . In October , Sen. Joe Manchin reportedlytargeted a proposal of marriage in the beleaguered Build Back substantially Actthat would have much good baffle methane emissions from the fossil oil and gaseous state manufacture ; come the methane provisions out of the notice was an ask from the oil colour and gas industriousness , which does n’t want regulation of any sort getting in the direction of byplay .
There ’s a little bit of good news in the report . compare to 2019 levels , emission from dodo fuel production in 2021 were down 2 % , suggesting that industry work to curtail leaks and increased attention from policymakers may be working . In Glasgow last year , countries signed afirst - of - its - sort pledgeto slim global methane emission 30 % by 2030 . Progress !
But the worldly concern also involve to start pay off much closer attention to what is actually going into the atmosphere — and start treating methane from fossil fuel production like the serious threat it is . Of the top five international methane emitters outlined in the report — China , Russia , the U.S. , Iran , and India — only the U.S. is on the 2030 assurance . And if Manchin is any indication , we ’re doing a pretty bad occupation of holding polluters accountable .
ChemistryFuel gasFuelsJoe Manchin
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