methane

In November, ExxonMobil signed a commitment with several companies aimed at reducing methane emissions. That agreement built off earlier efforts the company had announced to enhance voluntary methane reduction.

A US-government-sponsored program is putting new methane leak detection systems to the test with a goal of achieving functionality costs of $3,000/year/wellsite while hitting stringent performance criteria.

With the API and a multi-operator group passing separate programs aimed at reducing methane emissions, the discussions on what defines an acceptable level of regulation continues within the industry.

The Trump administration will delay an Obama-era rule limiting emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas methane from oil and gas operations on federal and tribal lands, it said, a move slammed by environmentalists.

BP, Eni, ExxonMobil, Repsol, Shell, Statoil, Total, and Wintershall committed to further reduce methane emissions from the natural gas assets they operate around the world.

Southwest Research Institute has developed a leak detection system to autonomously monitor pipelines for hazardous chemical spills. R&D Magazine recently recognized the system as one of the 100 most significant innovations of 2017.

In recent years there has been a spike of research to determine what the extent of emissions are from fracked oil and gas wells. While much discussion has surrounded methane emissions, a greenhouse gas, less attention has been paid to air toxics.

The US Interior Department will propose delaying parts of an Obama-era rule to limit methane emissions from oil and gas production on federal lands, a rule Congress upheld earlier in the year, a document showed on 4 October.

ExxonMobil announced an enhanced program to reduce methane emissions from its production and midstream facilities across the US. The program includes a commitment to switch out more than 1,000 high-bleed pneumatic devices over 3 years.

Three experts from different sectors discussed the challenge of methane and regulation at the first panel session of the 2017 SPE Health, Safety, Security, Environment, and Social Responsibility Conference–North America in New Orleans.