It Happens Here Too: Methane Pollution in Europe’s oil and gas network

Clean Air Task Force (CATF) conducted a survey of over 250 oil and gas sites across 11 EU member states using optical gas imaging, finding evidence of methane emissions at 180 of those sites. The report identifies storage tanks, vent stacks, and piping leaks as primary emission sources and highlights a significant problem with poorly maintained wells in Romania. CATF argues that current industry self-regulation and voluntary commitments are insufficient, as observed emissions often contradict corporate rhetoric. The report recommends that the EU implement a mandatory Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program, ban routine venting and flaring, establish a robust monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system, set strict import standards for fossil fuels, and create a program to remediate abandoned wells.

• A survey of over 250 oil and gas sites across 11 EU member states revealed that methane pollution is widespread, with emissions documented at 180 of the visited sites.
• Methane emissions occur across the entire oil and gas value chain, including upstream production, transportation, storage, and distribution, sometimes near population centers.
• Storage tanks were the most frequent source of emissions among the 433 sources observed, with 119 instances, primarily in Romania and Italy.
• Significant methane pollution was observed from poorly maintained oil and gas wells in Romania, where 15 out of 16 wells inspected at the Schilista oil field were leaking.
• Other common emission sources include vent stacks and unlit flares (78 observations) and miscellaneous piping leaks (62 observations).
• There is a discrepancy between the public commitments of oil and gas companies and actual operational practices, as evidenced by continued venting at sites owned by companies claiming to use leak detection programs.
• The report argues that sectoral self-regulation is ineffective because companies currently have no legal obligation to report or reduce methane emissions.
• CATF recommends a mandatory EU-wide Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program, noting that monthly inspections could reduce leak emissions by approximately 90%.
• The report calls for a ban on routine venting and flaring, except for safety or emergency reasons, suggesting the EU adopt a model similar to Norway's tax-based system.
• The EU is encouraged to use its position as the world's largest fossil fuel importer to impose methane standards on external producers.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2021). It Happens Here Too: Methane Pollution in Europe’s oil and gas network. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/13024754/CATF_EUMethane_Report_Proof_12.10.21.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. It Happens Here Too: Methane Pollution in Europe’s oil and gas network. 2021. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/13024754/CATF_EUMethane_Report_Proof_12.10.21.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=It Happens Here Too: Methane Pollution in Europe’s oil and gas network |date=December 2021 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/13024754/CATF_EUMethane_Report_Proof_12.10.21.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2021happens, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{It Happens Here Too: Methane Pollution in Europe’s oil and gas network}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2021}, month = dec, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/13024754/CATF_EUMethane_Report_Proof_12.10.21.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }