EPA Moves To Reduce Methane Emissions

EPA Unveils Proposed Methane Standards. On August 18, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled its plan to lower methane emissions from the oil and gas industry 40 to 45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025. Methane, the second-most abundant greenhouse gas emitted in the United States by human activities, is far more efficient at trapping heat in the atmosphere -- and driving global warming -- than carbon dioxide. The proposed standards for new and modified oil and gas industry sources would place the first-ever limits on methane emissions, and are a key part of the Obama Administration's Climate Action Plan. The EPA says the standards will protect public health by reducing pollutants that worsen smog, and estimates the plan will result in net climate-related benefits of $120 to $150 million in 2025. [EPA.gov, 8/18/15]

Major Media Outlets Uncritically Quote Industry Claim That It Has Already Reduced Methane Emissions

Media Uncritically Cite Oil Industry Groups Claiming EPA Standards Are Unnecessary. Several media outlets, including NPR, the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, National Journal, Financial Times, and The Hill, uncritically quoted officials from the American Petroleum Association (API) or the Independent Petroleum Association of America alleging that the new EPA standards are unnecessary because the oil and gas industry has already reduced methane emissions. In particular, many of these outlets cited API's claim that methane emissions from natural gas systems are down 11 percent since 2005, according to EPA data. But none of these outlets mentioned any of the numerous studies showing that current methane emissions are actually much higher than the EPA data suggests. [NPR.org, 8/18/15; Associated Press, 8/18/15; The Wall Street Journal, 8/18/15; National Journal, 8/18/15; Financial Times, 8/18/15; The Hill, 8/18/15; API.org, 7/15/15]

By Contrast, Other Major Outlets Note Evidence Methane Emissions Are Much Higher Than Federal Data Suggests

The New York Times: “New Studies Suggest That Methane Emissions ... May Be Far Higher Than Federal Estimates.” The New York Times contrasted a quote from Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), who said "[t]he E.P.A.'s own data shows that methane emissions in the United States decreased by almost 15 percent between 1990 and 2013, yet E.P.A. is forging ahead," with a new study from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF):

“The E.P.A.'s own data shows that methane emissions in the United States decreased by almost 15 percent between 1990 and 2013, yet E.P.A. is forging ahead,” [Smith] wrote.

But new studies suggest that methane emissions from the oil and gas industry may be far higher than federal estimates, in part because of leaks from parts of drilling and gas gathering and storage systems that are rarely monitored. The environmental agency has proposed improved monitoring. [The New York Times, 8/18/15]

The Washington Post: EDF Study Suggests “Industry's Contributions To Methane Pollution Far Exceed Official Estimates.” The Washington Post reported that the “EPA's announcement coincided with a study that suggests that the industry's contributions to methane pollution far exceed official estimates,” referring to EDF's new study. The Post continued:

The study, in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, said methane leaks from processing and storage facilities were three times as high as the EPA's data suggests. The study, by 11 scientists from Colorado, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, based its conclusions on new measurements taken from more than 140 natural gas facilities in 13 U.S. states. The EPA's figures are derived in part from the industry's own estimates. [The Washington Post, 8/18/15]

U.S. News & World Report: EPA Methane Estimates “May Be Far Short Of Reality.” U.S. News & World Report cited API President and CEO Jack Gerard's claim that "[t]he oil and gas industry is leading the charge in reducing methane," but only after explaining that the EPA's methane estimates “may be far short of reality”:

The [oil and gas] sector is the nation's largest industrial source of methane, leaking about 7 million metric tons a year from pipelines, wells and compressors, or enough natural gas to supply about 6 million homes annually.

But those numbers may be far short of reality: Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has greatly multiplied the number of wells, compressor stations and other facilities -- often located in close proximity to homes -- and a study published Tuesday confirmed a prior finding that the EPA has “consistently underestimated” methane emissions by as much as 50 percent. [U.S. News & World Report, 8/18/15]

Houston Chronicle: “Recent Research Suggests Many Leaks Go Undetected,” So Methane Emissions “Could Be Much Higher” Than Official Estimates.  The Houston Chronicle contrasted the fact that the “industry proudly points to an 11 percent decline in methane emissions from natural gas systems since 2005” with recent research, including the EDF study: 

The industry proudly points to an 11 percent decline in methane emissions from natural gas systems since 2005, but some observers expect numbers to start climbing as a result of the oil drilling boom. Recent research suggests many leaks go undetected, so actual emissions could be much higher.

A study in Environmental Science and Technology on Tuesday suggests gathering equipment and processing facilities are leaking natural gas at rates eight times higher than EPA estimates. [Houston Chronicle, 8/18/15]

EDF And Other Studies Show Methane Emissions Have Been Consistently Undercounted

EDF Study Finds Vast Amount Of Unrecorded Methane Emissions. The same day the EPA announced its proposed methane standards, EDF released a study showing that methane emissions are far greater than federal estimates. The study, led by researchers at Colorado State University and other institutions and published in Environmental Science & Technology, found that natural gas gathering facilities -- which are not monitored by the EPA for methane leaks -- release up to 100 billion cubic feet of natural gas each year, eight times as much as previous EPA estimates. In a corresponding blog post, EDF Vice President Mark Brownstein said that these facilities “may be the largest methane source in the oil and gas supply chain,” and that if their emissions were counted in the federal statistics, it would increase the EPA's estimate of methane emissions from the natural gas supply chain by approximately 25 percent. [Environmental Science & Technology, 8/18/15; EDF.org, 8/18/15]

Harvard Study: Methane Emissions From Fossil Fuels In South Central U.S. Nearly 5 Times Higher Than Initial Estimates. Researchers at Harvard University and seven other institutions found in 2013 that far more methane is emitted from fossil fuel activities than official estimates. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), found that methane emissions from fossil fuel extraction and refining activities in the South Central United States “are nearly five times higher than previous estimates.” [Harvard.edu, 11/25/13]

Barnett Shale Emissions 1.5 to 2.7 Times Higher Than Reported By EPA. A study published in Environmental Science & Technology in June examined the Barnett Shale and found that methane emissions in the area were at least 1.5 to 2.7 times higher than the amounts reported in the EPA's greenhouse gas inventory. E&E Publishing reported that "[a]lmost 40 percent of the emissions were from compressor stations that gather and push natural gas along pipelines. Oil and gas production -- as opposed to its distribution, gathering and processing -- accounted for 11 percent of the emissions." [E&E Publishing, 7/8/15]

NOAA-CIRES Study: Natural Gas Leaks In Colorado Basin Nearly 3 Times Higher Than Estimated. A study led by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado-Boulder found that the Denver-Julesburg Basin leaked “nearly three times the amount [of natural gas] estimated using data from the Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program,” according to EDF. As EDF noted, the study was further evidence that “methane emissions from oil and gas production are higher than previously thought.” [EDF.org, 5/7/14]

Stanford Review Of Over 200 Studies: EPA Consistently Underestimates Methane Leaks And Emissions. Stanford University's Adam Brandt and a team of researchers synthesized the findings of over 200 studies on methane emissions for a study published in Science on February 13, 2014. When comparing measurements from other studies to the EPA's estimates, the researchers found that methane emissions are about 50 percent greater than previously thought. U.S. News & World Report explained the study's findings:

About “50 percent more” natural gas is leaked into the atmosphere than the Environmental Protection Agency estimates, according to a 16-person research team from the United States and Canada, which analyzed 200 studies, measurements and predictions, and published its findings in the journal Policy Forum on Thursday.

“People who go out and actually measure methane pretty consistently find more emissions than we expect,” Adam Brandt, an assistant professor at Stanford University and the paper's lead author, said in a statement. “Atmospheric tests covering the entire country indicate emissions around 50 percent more than EPA estimates. And that's a moderate estimate.”

The EPA's estimates may be low, in part, because oil-well and -processing facilities are not required to participate in EPA emissions surveys, the researchers explained, and because EPA estimates do not include abandoned oil and gas wells. [Stanford.edu, 2/13/14; U.S. News & World Report, 2/13/14]

Despite Undercounting Methane Emissions, EPA Data And Projections Show They Are On The Rise

Most Recent EPA Data Shows Methane Emissions Are Increasing. When the EPA released its annual greenhouse gas inventory report in April 2015, EDF noted that the EPA data showed a three percent increase in methane emissions from the oil and gas industry between 2012 and 2013. [EDF.org, 4/15/15]

EPA Estimates Methane Emissions Will Rise Over 25 Percent Over Next 10 Years Without Limits In Place. According to the EPA, methane emissions from the oil and gas industry are “projected to rise more than 25 percent by 2025 without additional steps to lower them.” [EPA.gov, 1/14/15]

Photo at top via Flickr user Adam Cohn with a Creative Commons license.