Methane abatement

Methane has a much shorter atmospheric lifetime than CO2 but is a much more potent greenhouse gas. The energy sector is a major anthropogenic source of methane, second to agriculture. Approximately 79 Mt of methane was emitted from oil and gas operations in 2018, split roughly between the two. An additional 40 Mt methane released from coal mines last year.

While methane emissions are diffuse and highly variable, making the magnitude of emissions uncertain, abatement technologies are reasonably well known. The challenge is to incentivise the deployment of these abatement technologies via voluntary or regulatory means.

IEA analysis focuses on equipment and operational techniques that can be applied across oil and gas value chains to reduce emissions. These technologies can mitigate methane emissions that occur by accident or by design.

For example, leak detection and repair programs are an effective way to reduce fugitive leaks in up and downstream stages. Vapour recovery units can be installed over crude oil and condensate storage tanks to reduce direct venting of methane to the atmosphere. Gas-driven devices that continuously release small amounts of methane can be replaced with low- or zero-emitting devices throughout oil and gas systems.

Last updated Jan 19, 2021