The U.S. oil and gas industry emitted 70% more methane pollution than EPA estimated from 2010-2019, research published Monday in PNAS Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences reveals. The study used satellites to observe actual methane pollution, instead of relying on estimates based on assumptions on how much methane is released (through leaks, or intentionally through venting) by oil and gas operations on the ground. Methane, the main component in so-called “natural gas,” traps more than 80 times as much heat in the atmosphere as CO2 over a 20-year timeframe. Cutting methane pollution from oil and gas operations (especially by fixing leaks) is essential, and the most cost-efficient way, to limit near-term global temperature increases. Monday’s findings are the most recent in a growing chorus of research revealing the dramatic delta between EPA estimates and actual methane pollution in the U.S. (CNN, E&E $)
