CPC: Falling methane emissions make new rules unnecessary

Tracee Bentley, Executive Director of the Colorado Petroleum Council (CPC), told the EPA at a public hearing that the oil and natural gas industry is leading the way to reduce methane emissions in a cost-effective manner, and new regulations could threaten Colorado’s energy renaissance.

“Even as US oil and natural gas production has surged, methane emissions have declined significantly. Our industry has voluntarily led the way in its pursuit of improved operations to safely maximise the recovery and capture of these valuable oil and gas resources,” said Bentley.

“This industry has also played a significant role in the 27-year lows,” Bentley continued. “These trends are the result of free market measures and private sector investment. We urge EPA not to get in the way of this success by developing a one-size-fits-all regulatory approach, particularly for those in states that are already leading the way, either voluntarily or following Colorado’s Regulation 7. The last thing we need is a duplicative and costly regulation that could increase the cost of energy for Colorado consumers and undermine our competitiveness as an energy leader.”

According to EPA data, methane emissions from hydraulically fractured natural gas wells have fallen approximately 79% since 2005, and total methane emissions from natural gas systems are down 11% over the same period. These reductions have occurred during a time when total US gas production has increased 44%.

Edited from press release by Angharad Lock

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/24092015/cpc-falling-methane-emissions-make-new-rules-unnecessary-1472/