The leading trade body for the UK’s offshore energy industry, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), has today (11 August) launched new guidelines to help oil and gas companies reduce methane emissions from the production of oil and gas.
The guidelines come as OEUK implements its Methane Action Plan (MAP) – a core deliverable of the 2021 North Sea Transition Deal between the UK Government and the offshore oil and gas industry.
Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases in the world’s atmosphere today, having 20 – 86 times the impact of than that of carbon emissions. Globally, the oil and gas industry is the third-largest emitter of methane after agriculture and waste.
It has a shorter atmospheric lifespan compared to carbon dioxide, which means that reducing these emissions can have a near-immediate positive impact on the atmosphere that carbon reductions alone cannot achieve.
The MAP commits the sector to halve its methane emissions by 2030 (compared to 2018) and adopt the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) methane intensity target of 0.25% by 2025.
It also recommended companies and offshore installations put in place their own plans of action by the end of 2023. These guidelines enable businesses to form their own Asset Methane Action Plans, encompassing:
- Identification of methane sources
- Detection and measurement
- Quantification
- Abatement
Commenting, OEUK’s Emissions Improvement Manager Thibaut Cheret said:
“Reducing emissions from production means the UK can keep making its own oil and gas while people still need it – supporting British jobs, consumers, the economy and our climate goals.
“Although the offshore oil and gas industry represents just 2.7 per cent of total UK methane emissions, we recognise that there’s always more to be done. These guidelines will help steer the sector on its journey to net zero, showing wider leadership as to what can be achieved, even in a mature basin.
“We now hope companies bring the guidelines to life through their own individual action plans as we continue to work with organisations over the next six months to really move the dial in terms of emissions reduction and monitoring improvements.”
Access the Methane Guidelines here. Note: Journalists can request a free copy by emailing [email protected].
Read the Methane Action Plan here.
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