Methane Emissions from the Oil & Gas Supply Chain

The document outlines the specific points of methane and CO2 leakage and combustion within the oil and gas industry. It argues that reducing these emissions is critical for meeting the 1.5 degree warming target, noting that methane is 80x more damaging than CO2 in the short term and that existing technologies can reduce these emissions at low cost. The supply chain is broken down into production and processing (onshore and offshore), transmission and storage, and distribution to end users.

• Reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector is essential for maintaining the 1.5 degree warming target, particularly because methane is 80 times more damaging than CO2 in the short term.
• Methane emissions in the production and processing phase occur onshore at gas and oil wells through leaks, well completions, pneumatic devices, compressors, storage tanks, dehydrators, and the unloading of liquids; CO2 is emitted via fuel combustion and flaring.
• In the transmission and storage phase, methane is released through leaks in interstate pipelines, maintenance blowdowns, pneumatic devices, compressors, and venting at underground storage facilities.
• The distribution phase involves methane leaks at city gates, within underground city pipeline networks, during power plant turbine startups and shutdowns, and at residential, industrial, and commercial gas meters and equipment.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2021). Methane Emissions from the Oil & Gas Supply Chain. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/12170707/CATF_MethaneEmissionsFromTheOilGasSupplyChain_Infographic.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Methane Emissions from the Oil & Gas Supply Chain. 2021. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/12170707/CATF_MethaneEmissionsFromTheOilGasSupplyChain_Infographic.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Methane Emissions from the Oil & Gas Supply Chain |date=2021 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/12170707/CATF_MethaneEmissionsFromTheOilGasSupplyChain_Infographic.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2021methane, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Methane Emissions from the Oil \& Gas Supply Chain}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2021}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/12170707/CATF_MethaneEmissionsFromTheOilGasSupplyChain_Infographic.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }