Methane by the Numbers: The Need for Clear and Comparable Methane Intensity Metrics

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Energy Policy
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Global tracking of methane emissions from oil and gas operations is crucial.
• Emergent reporting requirements focus on methane emissions intensity.
• Multiple, conflicting definitions of methane intensity impede clear comparisons and policy development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze predominant methane intensity metrics.
• To identify unbiased and intercomparable measures of methane performance.
• To demonstrate methods for supply chain emissions propagation.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of six predominant methane intensity metrics.
• Evaluation of metrics based on attribution to gas production versus total energy production.
• Demonstration of calculating embodied intensities through supply chains.

Main Results:

• Half of analyzed metrics, attributing methane solely to gas production, showed significant bias, especially in oil-dominant operations.
• Three recommended metrics, benchmarking against total energy production, provide unbiased and intercomparable results.
• Recommended metrics are computationally and functionally equivalent when emissions are allocated by energy production.

Conclusions:

• Standardizing methane intensity metrics is essential for effective oil and gas emissions policy.
• Metrics benchmarking against total energy production offer the most reliable approach.
• Calculations for supply chain emissions propagation are feasible with recommended metrics.