Plugging Methane Leaks From Derelict Oil Wells For Carbon Credit — “Staci Taruscio spent more than a decade scouting and drilling oil wells across the US, first as an engineer for others and then as head of her own company. Like most in the business, Taruscio spent scant time or effort following up on the fate of wells she once owned—hundreds of sites spread across the Great Plains. In perhaps 15 cases, she says, her company had sealed them with cement, but for all she knew, the others were spewing toxic gases. ‘When we look back at the way we treated some wells that we probably should have plugged, it’s a source of a little bit of shame, honestly,’ she says. Today, Taruscio is trying to undo some of the environmental damage—and make money while doing it. Two years ago she added the word ‘Solutions’ to her company name—it’s now Rebellion Energy Solutions LLC—and shifted the focus from drilling and managing new wells to plugging abandoned ones.” [Bloomberg, 7/10/23 (=)]

 

Rapidly Retreating Arctic Glaciers Are Triggering The Release Of Ancient Methane. Here's Why Scientists Are Worried. — “Hundreds of groundwater springs have appeared in the Arctic, and scientists are worried they are belching vast amounts of ancient methane into the atmosphere. The springs were exposed by retreating glaciers in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Researchers at the University of Cambridge believe the methane is millions of years old, seeping out from a large reserve of underground gas. This suggests a lot of greenhouse gas could still be released into the atmosphere — something that hasn’t been accounted for in existing climate models.” [Business Insider, 7/7/23 (=)]

 

EPA Proposal Would Require More Oversight On Methane Emissions — “On Thursday, the EPA issued a proposal amending reporting requirements for petroleum and natural gas systems under EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. The proposed rules would amend reporting requirements under EPA’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting program. The revisions, if approved, would apply to ‘petroleum and natural gas facilities’ covered by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which included a methane emissions reduction program. ‘The Biden-Harris Administration is moving urgently to reduce climate pollution, and EPA is working to ensure science leads the way with the most accurate emissions data possible,’ said Joseph Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.” [Digital Journal, 7/7/23 (=)]

 

New EPA Methane Regulations Could Cost Families, Businesses, And The Environment — “When it comes to cleaning up our environment, everyone agrees that constant improvement in how we power our economy and our lives is a requirement, not an option. However, there is not always agreement on the best way to do it, especially when it comes to regulations that, while well-intentioned, actually impede progress. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest proposed methane regulations are a prime example of good intentions that will raise prices for families and businesses alike, increase the risk of a downturn across the economy, and introduce unclear, unrealistic timelines that could impede high-priority efforts to improve our environmental performance.” [RealClearEnergy , 7/10/23 (-)]

 

Natural Gas Operators Facing More Oversight Of Emissions, Including Methane, In EPA Proposal — “Natural gas and oil operators may see more stringent reporting requirements under a proposal issued Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ‘improve the accuracy of reported emissions,’ including methane. The proposed rules would amend reporting requirements under EPA’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting program. The revisions, if approved, would apply to ‘petroleum and natural gas facilities’ covered by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which included a methane emissions reduction program.” [Natural Gas Intelligence, 7/7/23 (=)]

 

Report: Oil And Gas Air Pollution Effects Health Of Pennsylvanians — “A new study sheds light on the urgent need for policies to reduce emissions from U.S. oil and gas production, showing the public health effects are costing billions of dollars. The research estimated in 2016, in the U.S. alone, oil and gas-related pollution caused $77 billion in health damages, contributing to 7,500 early deaths and more than 400,000 asthma exacerbations. Dr. Barbara W. Brandom, a retired professor of pediatric anesthesiology at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of the Concerned Health Professionals of Pennsylvania, said she saw firsthand the impact of poor air quality on children’s health because asthmatic kids had complications with anesthesia. She argued the study amplifies the growing calls for robust policies and regulations to reduce emissions from the oil and gas industry. ‘Any reduction in methane that’s released will be accompanied by less hazardous air pollutants, and hopefully less PM 2.5 and less things that will produce the ozone,’ Brandom explained. ‘But basically, we need to stop burning fossil fuels.’” [Public News Service, 7/10/23 (+)]

 

Op-Ed: Gas Flaring And Venting Wastes Resources And Heats The Planet – It Must Be Curbed — According to Wera Hobhouse MP Liberal Democrat, Alan Brown MP SNP, Caroline Lucas MP Green party, Olivia Blake MP Labour, Rebecca Tremain Head of UK government affairs, Clean Air Task Force, “As energy prices remain high across the UK, oil and gas companies are wasting precious resources by burning and releasing methane into the atmosphere. In the North Sea alone, enough gas to supply more than 700,000 average UK homes is lost annually. Methane is a powerful climate‑warming gas. It is more than 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide in heating the planet, and its release leads to other pollutants that harm public health. This means the threat that wasteful practices, such as venting and flaring, have on our livelihoods goes far beyond monetary costs. Methane emerged as a priority at Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021. The government supported the creation of the global methane pledge, a commitment to collectively reduce emissions by at least 30% by 2030.” [The Guardian, 7/9/23 (+)]

 

Op-Ed: EPA Methane Rules Need Flexibility, Balance To Achieve Lower Emissions — According to Bernard L. Weinstein, “Later this year, the annual United Nations climate change summit, COP 28, will convene in the United Arab Emirates. All indications are that this year’s conclave will focus on reducing emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Indeed, the conference president designate, Sultan Ahmed al Jaber, has already called for the global oil and gas industry to phase out methane emissions by 2030. At the same time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to adopt rules that codify new mandates for monitoring and detection of methane. In theory, the proposals will ensure that all drill sites are routinely monitored for leaks, with requirements based on the type and amount of equipment on site. They are also intended to prevent leaks from abandoned and unplugged wells by documenting that well sites are properly closed and plugged before monitoring is allowed to end.” [The Hill, 7/7/23 (-)]

 

 

 

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