Methane Abatement in Libya’s Oil and Gas Sector

The document analyzes methane emissions in Libya's oil and gas sector, estimating annual emissions at 1,221 kt. It finds that 55% of these emissions can be abated using four specific technologies—leak detection and repair (LDAR), vapor recovery units (VRU), replacing gas-driven pneumatic equipment, and improving flaring practices—all of which fall below a low-cost threshold of 596 USD/t CH4. The largest potential for reduction comes from eliminating unlit flaring in the onshore upstream segment. However, implementation is hindered by the lack of a dedicated methane regulatory framework, aging infrastructure, and import restrictions on specialized equipment. The report highlights that the EU Methane Regulation poses a future risk to Libyan exports starting in 2027, urging the adoption of flaring performance standards and financial incentives to meet a 2030 zero-flaring ambition.

• Libya's total annual methane emissions are estimated at 1,221 kt, with 962 kt analyzed for abatement. Technical abatement from the four analyzed technologies could reduce emissions by 55% of the total estimated emissions, equivalent to 36.4 Mt CO2e.
• All assessed mitigation measures are considered low-cost, falling below the threshold of 596 USD/t CH4 (20 USD/t CO2e). The total net cost to deploy the full portfolio of these measures is approximately USD 66 million per year, which could drop to USD 48 million if all recovered upstream gas were saleable at 5 USD/MMBtu.
• The most significant single abatement opportunity is the elimination of unlit flaring in the onshore upstream segment, which could reduce emissions by approximately 271 kt of methane per year at a marginal cost of about 45 USD/t CH4.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2026). Methane Abatement in Libya’s Oil and Gas Sector. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/22155148/Methane-Abatement-in-Libyas-Oil-and-Gas-Sector.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Methane Abatement in Libya’s Oil and Gas Sector. 2026. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/22155148/Methane-Abatement-in-Libyas-Oil-and-Gas-Sector.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Methane Abatement in Libya’s Oil and Gas Sector |date=June 2026 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/22155148/Methane-Abatement-in-Libyas-Oil-and-Gas-Sector.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2026methane, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Methane Abatement in Libya’s Oil and Gas Sector}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/22155148/Methane-Abatement-in-Libyas-Oil-and-Gas-Sector.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }