Waste Not

The report identifies the U.S. oil and gas industry as the largest industrial source of methane and argues that the EPA should issue nationwide standards under the Clean Air Act to target the sector's top emitting sources. The authors propose three primary categories of intervention: regular leak detection and repair (LDAR) programs, the replacement of outdated compressors and pneumatic equipment, and the capture of gas from oil and gas wells. These measures are estimated to reduce annual methane emissions by 3.2 to 3.7 million metric tons, a reduction of 42% to 48% of the sector's total. The report emphasizes that direct methane standards would be significantly more effective than regulating volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or relying on voluntary programs. The estimated cost of these measures is low, ranging from $8 to $18 per metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent, and would represent less than 1% of the industry's sales revenue.

• The U.S. oil and gas industry is the largest industrial source of methane and the second largest industrial contributor to overall climate pollution, with emissions likely significantly higher than government inventories suggest.
• Implementing regular leak detection and repair (LDAR) programs across wellpads, processing plants, compressor stations, and distribution facilities could reduce methane pollution by 1.7 to 1.8 million metric tons per year.
• Replacing outdated compressors and gas-driven pneumatic equipment with modern technologies and maintenance practices could reduce methane pollution by 1.2 to 1.35 million metric tons per year.
• Capturing natural gas from oil and gas wells instead of venting or flaring it could reduce methane pollution by 260,000 to 500,000 metric tons per year.
• Direct methane standards would be up to ten times more effective at reducing methane and four times more effective at reducing smog-forming pollutants than alternative policy approaches, such as VOC standards.
• The total average abatement cost for all recommended technologies is estimated at $8 to $18 per metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent, representing less than 1% of the industry's sales revenue.
• The proposed methane standards would provide significant co-benefits by reducing smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxic hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) by up to 22% and 14%, respectively.
• Voluntary programs and VOC-focused regulations are deemed insufficient to meet climate goals because they lack enforceability and fail to address the most significant pollution sources, including 'super-emitters'.

APA

McCabe, D., Geertsma, M., Matthews, N., Fleischman, L., & Schroeder, D. (2015). Waste Not. Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/21094431/CATF_Pub_WasteNot.pdf

Chicago

McCabe, David, Meleah Geertsma, Nathan Matthews, Lesley Fleischman, and Darin Schroeder. Waste Not. Clean Air Task Force, 2015. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/21094431/CATF_Pub_WasteNot.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=McCabe |first1=David |last2=Geertsma |first2=Meleah |last3=Matthews |first3=Nathan |last4=Fleischman |first4=Lesley |last5=Schroeder |first5=Darin |title=Waste Not |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=January 2015 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/21094431/CATF_Pub_WasteNot.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mccabe2015waste, author = {McCabe, David and Geertsma, Meleah and Matthews, Nathan and Fleischman, Lesley and Schroeder, Darin}, title = {{Waste Not}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2015}, month = jan, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/21094431/CATF_Pub_WasteNot.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }