How many emissions are in a standard barrel of oil and gas? It’s complicated but quantifiable.

RMI explains that emissions from oil and gas are not uniform and vary based on resource type, asset age, and location. Using its Oil Climate Index plus gas (OCI+) tool, RMI highlights that methane emissions intensities in the United States can vary more than 10-fold. The document emphasizes the disproportionate impact of 'marginal wells'—which make up 75% of producing wells in the US but contribute less than 5% of production—and advocates for life-cycle emissions analysis to guide strategic interventions.

• Emissions from oil and gas cannot be accurately standardized because they vary by asset, location, and age, as well as the diversity of the resources themselves, which range from extra-heavy oils to wet gases.
• In the United States, methane emissions intensities for oil and gas vary by more than 10-fold, ranging from less than 1 kilogram to over 8 kilograms of methane per barrel oil equivalent according to RMI's OCI+ tool.
• Extra-heavy oils exhibit the highest average emissions intensities when considering both CO2 and methane, while gases show the widest range of emissions intensities, which increase when methane leaks.
• Marginal wells in the United States—defined as those producing less than 630 gallons a day—account for approximately 75% of currently producing wells but produce less than 5% of the country's oil and gas, while contributing disproportionately to emissions and health risks.
• Utilizing modeling scenarios for the entire supply chain—including production, processing, refining, transport, and end uses—could reduce emissions by as much as 80 percent.

APA

RMI (2025). How many emissions are in a standard barrel of oil and gas? It’s complicated but quantifiable. https://rmi.org/resources/how-many-emissions-are-in-a-standard-barrel-of-oil-and-gas-its-complicated-but-quantifiable/

Chicago

RMI. How many emissions are in a standard barrel of oil and gas? It’s complicated but quantifiable. 2025. https://rmi.org/resources/how-many-emissions-are-in-a-standard-barrel-of-oil-and-gas-its-complicated-but-quantifiable/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=How many emissions are in a standard barrel of oil and gas? It’s complicated but quantifiable. |date=22 December 2025 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/how-many-emissions-are-in-a-standard-barrel-of-oil-and-gas-its-complicated-but-quantifiable/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2025how, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{How many emissions are in a standard barrel of oil and gas? It’s complicated but quantifiable.}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/how-many-emissions-are-in-a-standard-barrel-of-oil-and-gas-its-complicated-but-quantifiable/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }