Industry must find emissions balance

There is no more disputing it: methane emissions are dropping even as oil and gas production continues to surge in America’s top shale basins, including the prolific Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, but it has a relatively short lifetime of 12 years in the atmosphere.

This means that reducing methane emissions brings immediate climate benefits.

A recent analysis of data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Energy Information Administration that hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves shows that in the Permian Basin from 2011 to 2017 methane emissions intensity — or emissions per unit of production — was cut in half.

The analysis was done by Energy in Depth, a research and public outreach group, established by the oil and gas industry.

The numbers underscore the remarkable environmental benefits from increased efficiency in shale production.

Annual methane emissions from Permian production fell from 4.8 million metric tons (MMT) to 4.6 MMT from 2011 to 2017. During this period, the average annual production of oil and gas combined rose from 638.9 million barrels of oil equivalent to 14 billion barrels. The result was a 57% reduction in methane emissions per unit of oil and gas produced.

For the top 10 U.S. shale basins, methane emissions intensity from oil and gas production fell 24%, while oil and gas production rose 65% and 19%, respectively from 2011 to 2017, according to the Energy in Depth analysis.

Oil and gas companies are involved in a broad range of initiatives focused on reducing methane emissions, ranging from using infrared cameras to scan for fugitive emissions and venting to deploying advanced technology to repair pipeline leaks.

Flaring of natural gas from new production wells is being cut back, thanks to the construction of new gas pipelines. One company is using natural gas that would otherwise be flared to run fracking equipment.

Several major oil companies have set a goal of achieving zero methane emissions by mid-century, if not sooner.

At the same time, the oil and gas industry is scaling back carbon dioxide emissions, which is the principal greenhouse gas.

Due to a shift from coal to natural gas in electricity production, carbon emissions from the power sector are now at 1990s levels.

As shale technology has improved, the production of oil and gas has become more efficient, enabling companies to increase energy production, obtain a good return on their investment and bolster the economy.

The really important news, as I see it, is that the industry will be able to achieve the optimal result by balancing oil and gas production with greenhouse emissions reduction. A healthy environment is a good thing, but rational policy dictates that economic growth and access to oil and gas deposits also be part of the equation.

Jim Constantopoulos is a geology professor at Eastern New Mexico University. Contact him at:

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