Update to the environmental analysis of the export of liquified natural gas

The document argues that the U.S. Department of Energy's environmental analysis of LNG exports must account for the higher methane emission rates and weaker regulatory enforcement in Mexico compared to the U.S. It highlights that planned export capacity through Mexico totals 8.55 Bcf/d, which could significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions. The authors also emphasize the disproportionate impact of these projects on marginalized and Indigenous communities in Mexico, noting high levels of industrial pollution and security risks for environmental defenders in states like Sonora and Sinaloa.

• There is currently 8.55 Bcf/d of planned LNG export capacity through Mexico, which would represent approximately a 75% increase in current U.S. LNG export capacity if constructed.
• Methane emission rates from Mexico's oil and gas industry are higher than those in the U.S., with a satellite-based study showing Mexican loss rates around 4.7% compared to U.S. rates of about 2.95%.
• Specific Mexican gas processing facilities have shown methane emissions approximately 30 times higher than comparable U.S. plants and 200 times higher than company-reported figures, with lower flare combustion efficiencies (94% vs 98% in the U.S.).
• Mexico suffers from significant underreporting of methane emissions and a lack of regulatory enforcement; for instance, only 13 out of 359 companies covered by methane regulations have submitted required annual reports.
• Proposed LNG projects in Mexico are often located in areas already burdened by high pollution, such as Puerto Libertad, Sonora, and Altamira, Tamaulipas, which contain some of Mexico's ten dirtiest power plants for CO2, SO2, Mercury, and particulate matter.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2024). Update to the environmental analysis of the export of liquified natural gas. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/doe_lng_mexico_ej_cemda_1.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. Update to the environmental analysis of the export of liquified natural gas. 2024. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/doe_lng_mexico_ej_cemda_1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=Update to the environmental analysis of the export of liquified natural gas |date=5 June 2024 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/doe_lng_mexico_ej_cemda_1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalenergymonitor2024update, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{Update to the environmental analysis of the export of liquified natural gas}}, publisher = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/doe_lng_mexico_ej_cemda_1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }