Energy Exchange

Quickly reducing methane along with CO2 could help save Earth’s sea ice

By EDF Blogs / Published: March 14, 2022

By Kelsey Robinson

New EDF-led research is bringing new hope to the prospect of preserving the Arctic’s summer sea ice, which has been declining rapidly due to rising temperatures.

Sea ice levels today are at their lowest point since record-keeping first began and at this current loss rate, summer sea ice could practically vanish by the time today’s toddlers become adults. This new research suggests that if we take swift action to reduce emissions of CO2 and the potent greenhouse gas methane – we could preserve summer sea ice well into the next century.

Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after CO2 and is responsible for more than 25% of current global warming. Over the following two decades, the methane we emit today will capture over 80 times more heat than an equal amount of CO2. This is why cutting methane now is so important to slow down warming and lower the risk of losing Arctic summer sea ice.

This study is one of the first to look at how practical methane mitigation affects critical parts of the climate system beyond temperature rise. According to the study, if we reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 (as motivated by the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement) and quickly enact methane reductions using all currently available solutions, the chances of saving our summer sea ice this century could increase from nearly zero without action to more than 80%.

Why preserving summer sea ice is so important.

A seasonally ice-free Arctic has significant implications for the global climate. According to recent research, if the Arctic Ocean is free of sea ice during the sunlit part of the year, it could generate the same heat as 25 years’ worth of human-caused CO2 emissions at today’s level.

Preserving sea ice maintains habitat for walruses, polar bears and other Arctic wildlife and it serves as a vital source for hunting and fishing among Indigenous Arctic communities. It can also help deter geopolitical complications that can arise from open access to Arctic waterways.

This study makes it clear that methane-cutting tools and technologies that are available today can make significant progress toward preserving Arctic summer sea ice and slowing the rate of global warming if we deploy them now.

Posted in Methane / Comments are closed

New Rystad cost analysis makes case for EPA to end routine flaring in final methane rule

By EDF Blogs / Published: February 28, 2022

By Jon Goldstein and Grace Weatherall

Reducing the amount of methane emitted from oil and gas infrastructure is among the cheapest and simplest solutions we have to reduce global warming quickly while protecting public health. The Environmental Protection Agency is in the midst of developing rules to curb these emissions from oil and gas producers across the country.

A new analysis commissioned by EDF and conducted by Rystad Energy makes it clear that eliminating routine flaring — a major source of rogue emissions — should be part of EPA’s methane rulemaking.

Though there are valid safety reasons for some minimal flaring, most of it occurs via routine flaring — when oil producers simply don’t have a place to put the natural gas that emerges from the ground during oil production and simply burn it off. More than $1 billion of natural gas is wasted at flares every year, driving unnecessary and harmful climate and local air pollution — including methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas — when natural gas is not fully burned.

Rystad’s report includes two key findings that should inform EPA’s rulemaking.

Also posted in Air Quality, Colorado, Methane regulatons, Natural Gas, Texas / Tagged New Mexico | Comments are closed

Round one of EPA methane comment period draws record engagement; Here’s how companies and investors can step up in round two

By Dominic Watson / Published: February 28, 2022

The public comment period for the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed oil and gas methane rules generated more than 400,000 individual submissions, including many from energy and financial companies that support Biden administration efforts to reduce emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas.

However, our analysis of comments from energy and investment companies shows a troubling divide between those that support strong rules and others trying actively to weaken them before they even take effect. When EPA’s next comment period opens this spring, it will be critical for supporters to weigh in on the overall goal, as well as on specific provisions — including elimination of routine flaring, transitioning away from polluting pneumatic equipment, and ensuring comprehensive leak detection, including at smaller wells.

A broad collection of investors representing trillions of dollars in capital has urged oil and gas companies to demonstrate genuine effort to reduce their emissions. Yet despite increasing numbers of targets from industry in recent years, U.S. methane emissions remain sky high — suggesting voluntary efforts will not be enough to meet this challenge.

If responsible operators already taking action do not take advantage of this unique policy opportunity, the worst actors will continue to bring down the reputation of the industry as a whole for years to come.

Also posted in Methane regulatons, Natural Gas / Comments are closed

To tackle natural gas waste on federal and tribal lands, the Biden administration must end routine venting and flaring

By EDF Blogs / Published: February 17, 2022

By Jon Goldstein and Ben Tettlebaum

With responsibility over one-eighth of the nation’s landmass, the Bureau of Land Management has a lot of important jobs. Chief among them is ensuring federal and tribal lands — and the minerals beneath them — are wisely and responsibly managed on behalf of the public, including U.S. taxpayers and tribal citizens.

But avoidable venting and flaring of natural gas from these lands emit harmful pollutants that have significant public health impacts, especially on communities living near oil and gas fields. What’s more, this damaging practice severely exacerbates the climate crisis and, estimates show, wastes $400 million worth of gas every year.

That’s why a broad coalition of 65 environmental, conservation, tribal, business, faith and agricultural groups called on BLM in a letter late last month to follow the lead of states like Alaska, Colorado and New Mexico and ban routine venting and flaring of natural gas.

Also posted in BLM Methane, Methane regulatons, Natural Gas, Wyoming / Tagged New Mexico | Comments are closed

Methane policy is a test of investors’ post-COP climate commitment. Will they pass?

By Dominic Watson / Published: January 11, 2022

Climate pledges and statements of support from the financial industry ring hollow unless and until firms support public policies that will deliver required emission cuts. That’s at risk of happening now as major asset managers have remained silent on a proposed new Environmental Protection Agency rule requiring oil and gas producers to cut their methane emissions.

Now is the time for investors to speak up. By backing the regulation, the financial sector has a crucial, cost-effective opportunity to support the mitigation of short-term climate risk from a dangerous climate pollutant. The EPA comment period for the proposed methane regulations lasts until Jan. 31, 2022, and is the perfect venue for investors to voice their support.

Also posted in Methane regulatons / Comments are closed

Canada’s path to reducing methane must be built on all available data

By Shareen Yawanarajah Ph.D. / Published: November 18, 2021

Last week, at the United Nations annual climate conference, Canada joined over 100 other countries pledging to reduce 30% of global methane emissions by the year 2030. Methane is a fast-acting greenhouse gas responsible for over a quarter of human-caused global warming. Reducing methane emissions, along with carbon dioxide, is absolutely critical to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.

Canada is among the world’s largest methane emitters, and oil and gas is a significant contributor. So consequently, living up to this global commitment of 30% reduction by 2030 will have to include meaningful cuts to oil and gas sector methane emissions.

Also posted in Air Quality, Methane regulatons, Natural Gas / Tagged Canada | Comments are closed