September 9, 2021
The Environmental Partnership, an initiative of over 90 U.S. oil and natural gas companies, today released its third annual report showcasing the oil and natural gas industry’s progress in emissions reductions.
According to the report, participants in the partnership’s new flare management program reported a 50 percent reduction in flare volumes from 2019 to 2020, even as oil and natural gas production remained consistent among participating companies.
Other report highlights include: leak detection inspections finding a 0.04% leak occurrence rate, or less than 1 component leaking in two thousand; More than 400 emission reduction methods implemented during pipeline blowdowns; Emissions minimized by monitoring more than 44,000 manual liquids unloading events; Rod packings changed on more than 2,000 reciprocating compressors; Approved emission reduction practices on more than 320 compressors; More than 9,200 additional gas driven controllers replaced or removed from service; More than 970 high-bleed pneumatic controllers replaced, retrofitted, or removed from service; More than 2,700 zero-emission pneumatic controllers installed at new sites; and 54 participating companies no longer have high-bleed pneumatic controllers in their operations.
The Texas Methane & Flaring Coalition commends the work of the Environmental Partnership and will continue to make emissions progress. Operators are stepping up to the plate by utilizing technology and setting individual goals to reduce emissions without overly-burdensome regulations. Innovation, a commitment to the environment, and looking to a lower-emissions future will continue to drive this progress.
