This document provides best practice guidance for methane management within the oil and gas sector and is intended to be a resource for facility owners, operators and government policymakers.
The purpose of this document is to provide information about cost-effective measures for detecting and mitigating methane emissions along the full oil and gas value chain at the company- and national-level. Guidance for developing and implementing practices for monitoring, reporting and verifying (MRV) methane emissions is also provided.
Specific topics covered in the document include:
1. How to improve the quantification and reliability of methane emissions data by incorporating field and country specific data;
2. Best practices for improving and streamlining company-level reporting of methane emissions data;
3. Various options for government policymakers to develop policies, regulations and economic instruments focused on reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector; and
4. Contributions of international initiatives to mitigate methane emissions focusing on the Paris Agreement.
The report (see the link below) includes two annexes. Annex 1 provides information on emission sources, typical mitigation techniques, applicable emission detection and quantification equipment, and quantification methodologies. Annex 2 provides a brief overview of commercially available methane emissions detection and quantification technologies.
Several complementary case studies focus on experiences of oil and gas companies with methane emissions inventory, regulatory approaches to methane management, and successful public-private partnerships.
Case studies include:
• Carbon pricing and other regulatory approaches to methane emissions in Alberta
• Regulatory reforms to incentivize methane emission reduction in Kazakhstan
• Public-private partnerships to promote voluntary methane emissions reductions – USA
• Regulations and public private partnership to improvement knowledge about methane emissions and mitigation options – Norway
• Enagás’ CH4 emissions reporting, mitigation and commitment