Methane is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and is 80 times the potency of carbon dioxide.
An array of oil pumps operate outside of Tarzan on Sept. 15, 2023. Oil and gas companies released less methane during the extraction phases, according to a new report. But critics of the industry are skeptical.— a weekly dispatch about the people, places and policies defining Texas, produced by Texas Tribune journalists living in communities across the state.
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. It is a particle that scientists say is a main culprit in climate change, with 80 times the potency of carbon dioxide. And it is released in remarkable volumes in the Texas oil fields through unintended leaks and when companies flare or vent gas to relieve gas build-up in the equipment.
“Behind investments in technologies and manpower is the priority companies have assigned to reducing emissions to protect the environment and advance climate goals, and to capture as much methane as possible,” the American Petroleum Institute, a nationwide trade group, The report sheds light on the industry's efforts to pollute the air less. Still, it's far from a full understanding of how much methane escapes oil field operations, said Jon Goldstein, vice president of energy transition at the Environmental Defense Fund.
Goldstein said that oil and gas operators could be working to comply with methane reduction regulations set by the federal government in 2024,. Oil and gas companies can be fined if they breach the amount of methane they are allowed to leak. Texas does not require operators to capture methane emissions in their field operations.
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