Methane leaks “are not an inevitable part of today’s oil and gas business” and can be reduced “cost-effectively”, the International Energy Agency (IEA) judged in an article published on 31 March on the basis of the latest data collected by its ‘methane tracker’.
“Estimated emissions from oil and gas operations remain very large [...] but the evidence makes it clear that a substantial amount can be reduced cost-effectively”, the IEA points out.
Hitting an optimistic note, the Agency highlights in particular the progress made in the measurement of methane emissions, thanks in particular to the use of satellites and aerial technologies such as drones.
It warns, however, that the ability to identify leaks by satellite, in addition to being flawed, will not by itself solve the challenge posed by methane emissions from oil and gas.
According to the IEA, it is therefore necessary for companies to apply high operational standards and for policy-makers to establish an appropriate regulatory framework.
At the European Union level, the European Commission recently unveiled some elements of its future strategy to reduce these emissions (see EUROPE 12451/33).
To read the IEA article: https://bit.ly/2X2kzky (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)