Offshore staff
LONDON – Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) has committed to the Methane Guiding Principles, put together by a coalition of industry, international institutions, non-governmental organizations, and academics.
OGUK and its member companies will follow the guidelines in their work on the UK continental shelf to reduce methane emissions, improve accuracy of methane emissions data, advocate policy and regulations on methane, and improve transparency in reporting.
Previously the association unveiled a Methane Action Plan that sets out how the sector will cut potent methane emissions 50% and halt all routine flaring by 2030.
In September, member E&P company Neptune Energy partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund to test use of drones to enhance methane emissions measurement on the Cygnus gas platform in the UK southern North Sea.
The results could lead to development of a more accurate, science-based benchmark for the upstream industry to measure methane and identify mitigating actions, the association added.
OGUK emissions improvement manager Thibaut Cheret said: “Methane has a short lifetime but has up to 80 times the impact on the atmosphere than that of CO2, so it’s essential we drastically cut down on these emissions.
“The UK industry is working proactively on this – by 2030, we will have stopped all routine flaring and by 2023, all companies will have their own ambitious methane reduction plans in place.
“Natural gas plays a major role in meeting global energy demand and will do for some time to come. “Through our commitment to the principles, our Methane Action Plan, and the North Sea Transition Deal alike, our sector will clean up the production of resources that we will continue to need while we move towards a low-carbon energy mix.”
10/13/2021
