Energy Exchange: Methane
MethaneSAT brings key tool to oil & gas operators, gives stakeholders unprecedented transparency
2 months ago
By Andrew Baxter Methane is now a central part of the oil & gas industry’s climate challenge. New regulations in the U.S and Europe, growing concern in Asia and mounting interest from investors and global gas markets mean increasing pressure to improve emissions performance. It was also a focal point in the COP28 climate talks, […]
EDF Blogs
EPA advances methane waste charge to help cut oil and gas pollution
3 months 1 week ago
Last week, EPA proposed details for how it will administer Congress’s methane waste emissions charge for excessive oil and gas pollution, passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Methane Emissions Reduction Program in 2022. The waste charge is a fee on excessive methane pollution that applies to the largest polluting facilities in the oil […]
Edwin LaMair
New Louisiana rule will plug old oil wells, create jobs, safeguard environment
6 months 1 week ago
The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources has finalized new rules to help improve management of 17,000 non-productive oil and gas wells by encouraging their proper closure —an action that will create jobs, raise property values across the state and facilitate new clean energy projects. Louisiana has a long history of oil and gas development, […]
Adam Peltz
New bipartisan legislation would give U.S. orphan well management efforts a huge boost
8 months 3 weeks ago
By Adam Peltz and Meg Coleman Across the country, a million or more orphaned oil and gas wells threaten the climate, public health, groundwater and surface waters and hamper local economic development. Help is on the way thanks to a major federal effort to invest $4.7 billion in closing orphan wells under the Revive Economic […]
EDF Blogs
New rules could mean less waste, less pollution and more jobs for Louisiana
9 months ago
By Adam Peltz and Elizabeth Lieberknecht Recently, Louisiana, under the leadership of Gov. John Bel Edwards, became the latest state taking action to curb pollution and waste from oil and gas production. In a new proposal, the state says it will limit natural gas venting and flaring and attempt to reduce the risk of thousands […]
EDF Blogs
Analysis: Cutting oil and gas methane is one of Canada’s most affordable climate solutions
9 months 2 weeks ago
By Ari Pottens and Maureen Lackner New research confirms that cutting methane emissions from the oil and gas sector is one of the fastest and most affordable steps Canada can take to help address the climate crisis. According to the report by Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, Canada’s upstream oil and gas companies can eliminate […]
EDF Blogs
New health study shows cost of oil and gas pollution in Appalachia
9 months 2 weeks ago
By John Rutecki Earlier this summer, EDF, Boston University School of Public Health, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Institute for the Environment and PSE Healthy Energy published a peer-reviewed study that quantified the health impacts of oil and gas pollution, both in dollar value and human lives. The study found that in […]
EDF Blogs
Without action, unreported methane pollution from Saskatchewan could threaten Canada’s climate goals and create more fallout from climate change
9 months 2 weeks ago
By Ari Pottens and Scott Seymour It’s no secret that the rampant, out-of-control wildfires which are devastating parts of Canada and creating toxic air quality conditions for millions of people, are exacerbated by climate change. This makes it all the more crucial to rapidly reduce the greenhouse gases behind the climate crisis. In 2020, Canada’s […]
EDF Blogs
Widespread public support, new analysis signal urgent need for strong EPA methane protections
1 year 2 months ago
By Jon Goldstein and Rosalie Winn Earlier this month, the EPA closed its comment period on proposed oil and gas methane regulations. Over 400,000 individuals and a broad array of public health, environmental justice, conservation, labor, tribal, faith, youth and other interests — including oil and gas producers themselves — voiced support for EPA to […]
EDF Blogs
New study shows huge variation in how different oil companies manage climate pollution – underscores need for more oversight
1 year 3 months ago
By Jon Goldstein and Ben Hmiel For the last several years, researchers have been studying methane emissions in the Permian Basin (the nation’s largest oil field) to try and understand just how much climate pollution specific oil companies may be responsible for. A new study published this week from EDF and Carbon Mapper offers insights […]
EDF Blogs
The Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changer on methane. Here’s why.
1 year 3 months ago
By Edwin LaMair and Grace Smith The US Congress recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which takes bold action to address the climate crisis. Multiple independent analyses show the bill could reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 2005 levels by 2030, providing important support for President Biden’s goal of halving emissions by 2030. […]
EDF Blogs
S&P Global Analysis Says Industry’s Wasted Gas Could Bring Quick Relief to Energy Market
1 year 4 months ago
Russia’s war on Ukraine has sent painful shockwaves through global gas markets — not only in Europe but across Asia and in developing economies that can least afford it. The crisis is accelerating efforts to transition to cleaner, safer, more reliable energy, while setting off a scramble for new gas supplies to backfill what once […]
Matt Watson
Pennsylvania acts to avert a manufactured crisis to protect its economy, environment and $750 million in federal funds
1 year 5 months ago
By John Rutecki and John Walliser On Nov. 21st, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced his administration would pursue a now-approved emergency rulemaking to finalize long-overdue volatile organic compound and methane rules for the conventional oil and gas industry. Why the need for an emergency rulemaking? Because with no public notice or hearing, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, […]
EDF Blogs
Details, Details: Quiet Action at COP 27 Tees Up a Big Year for Methane
1 year 5 months ago
It’s no surprise that COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt closed with few groundbreaking headlines. Going in, we knew it would be a “working COP” focused on steps to advance the commitments made at previous gatherings. And while some important steps were made on technical issues and a historic agreement on funding arrangements for […]
Mark Brownstein
Key things we learned from studying methane in the nation’s largest oilfield
1 year 5 months ago
By Ben Hmiel and Jon Goldstein After three years of actively collecting methane emissions data in the Permian Basin, researchers have gained new insights that will make it easier to reduce emissions of the incredibly potent greenhouse gas methane. These insights are helping inform state and federal regulatory approaches at a critical time. Download the […]
EDF Blogs
Unreported pollution: What new research reveals about Canada’s methane problem
1 year 5 months ago
By Scott Seymour and Ari Pottens Canada has set arguably some of the most ambitious goals of any country when it comes to reducing emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane. In addition to joining a global coalition of countries pledging to reduce 30% of their methane emissions, Canada has also vowed to reduce oil […]
EDF Blogs
The Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changer on methane, here’s why
1 year 6 months ago
By Edwin LaMair and Grace Smith The US Congress recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that takes bold action to address the climate crisis and multiple independent analyses show the bill could reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions some 40% below 2005 levels by 2030, providing important support for President Biden’s goal of halving emissions […]
EDF Blogs
Research shows gathering pipelines in the Permian Basin leaking 14 times more methane than officials estimate
1 year 6 months ago
By Erin Murphy and Jevan Yu Methane emissions from natural gas gathering pipelines in the U.S. Permian Basin are at least 14 times greater than Environmental Protection Agency national inventory estimates, according to new peer-reviewed research from EDF, Stanford University and the University of Arizona. Gathering lines transport unprocessed gas from well sites to processing […]
EDF Blogs
New study finds flaring source of five times more pollution than previously thought
1 year 7 months ago
A new study out today in the journal Science finds that climate-warming methane emissions from flaring, the practice of burning off gas rather than capturing it for productive use, are five times higher than government estimates — primarily due to unlit and malfunctioning flares. Researchers conclude that flares are combusting at a 91% efficiency rate, […]
Jon Goldstein
INTERACTIVE MAP: Who is impacted most by overlooked pollution from America’s small oil and gas wells
1 year 9 months ago
A new EDF map is making it easier to access information about the communities across the country who are impacted by pollution from small oil and gas wells with leak-prone equipment. There are over half a million wells across the country that are producing less than 15 barrels of oil and gas a day. But […]
Jon Goldstein
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