Obama Unveils Plan to Cut Methane from US Oil and Gas Industry

Strategic Insights -

As President Barack Obama nears the end of his tenure, he is set to unveil a new plan to reduce methane emissions from the US oil and gas industry, a move that campaigners say is crucial in cementing his climate legacy. The new regulations, expected to be announced ahead of the State of the Union address, aim to cut methane, the second biggest driver of climate change, from the country's rapidly growing oil and gas sector. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, methane accounts for about 9% of greenhouse gas emissions, with the oil and gas industry being the largest contributor.

Key Takeaways:

  • The new methane rules are a last big chance for Obama to fight climate change, with campaigners saying that it is the largest opportunity to deal with climate pollution that the administration has not already seized.
  • Methane is 87 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas on a 20-year timescale, making it a critical area of focus for reducing emissions.
  • The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to roll out a combination of regulations and voluntary guidelines for the oil and gas industry, with a focus on plugging leaks from faulty casing on wells, pipelines, and ageing infrastructure.
  • The new rules target leaking valves and other equipment that allow methane to escape from wells, pipelines, and other infrastructure.
  • The plan is expected to be finalized by the end of 2016, but is already facing opposition from Republican lawmakers and industry lobby groups.
  • The oil and gas industry is responsible for the largest share of methane emissions, with the sector's growth being driven by the US's increasing production of natural gas and oil.

Statistics:

  • Methane accounts for about 9% of greenhouse gas emissions (EPA).
  • The oil and gas industry is responsible for the largest share of methane emissions (EPA).
  • The US is now the world's largest producer of natural gas and is on track to become the world's largest oil producer in 2015 (EPA).
  • Methane is 87 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas on a 20-year timescale (EPA).
  • The EPA had originally promised to announce a new methane plan by the end of last year, but has now pushed the deadline to early 2016 (EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy).

Sources:

  • Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent (no date).
  • US Environmental Protection Agency (no date).
  • The Natural Resources Defence Council (no date).