Earlier this month, Texans for Natural Gas (TNG) released a new report highlighting the oil and natural gas industry’s continued strong progress in reducing emissions.
Key findings in the report included:
- Between 2011 and 2022, Permian Basin methane emissions intensity fell by nearly 85 percent, while during the same frame total oil and gas production in the Permian increased by over 416 percent.
- 2022 saw the Permian reach its lowest methane intensity yet at 0.12 percent during a record production year, continuing the region’s success in producing more and emitting less.
- Flaring intensity in the Permian Basin decreased by 4.5 percent from 2021 to 2022 and by nearly 66 percent since the Basin experienced record flaring in 2019. Texas, where roughly 70 percent of Permian production occurs, has also seen significant decreases in flaring intensity: nearly 8 percent from 2021 to 2022 and nearly 60 percent since 2019.
- The Permian Basin stands apart from other global producers not only because of its prolific production but by remaining well below the flaring intensity of other global producers. In 2022, flaring intensity was 915 percent higher in Russia and 242 percent higher in Venezuela than in the Permian Basin.
- Of the top 10 countries by flared volumes, the United States has made the most progress in reducing its emissions. From 2019 to 2022, the United States cut flared volumes by more than half–a nearly 54 percent decrease.
Texas producers continue to reduce emissions, underscoring that producing affordable reliable energy and achieving environmental progress are not mutually exclusive. The Permian Basin’s leadership reducing emissions reaffirms industry’s commitment to making not just our state and nation—but our world—cleaner, stronger, and better.
Read the full report.
