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Reducing Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Development: Strategies for State-level Policymakers

Reducing Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Development: Strategies for State-level Policymakers

Full Title: Reducing Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Development: Strategies for State-level Policymakers
Author(s): Michael Obeiter and Christopher Weber
Publisher(s): World Resources Institute (WRI)
Publication Date: June 1, 2015
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):

This working paper is a first of its kind guide for US states aiming to enact policies to regulate methane emissions.

It looks at ways to reduce methane leaks from major emissions sources, including technologies to help reduce methane emissions and model rules for states to base future regulations on.

Adoption of model rules or similar policies at the state level will help ensure that the US reaches its 2020 and post-2020 GHG emissions reduction targets. With recent increases in natural gas extraction, largely from the combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, many states are confronting the need to regulate extractive industries for the first time, and others are seeing rapid increases in natural gas development.

Equipment and measures to prevent or reduce methane leaks can be highly cost-effective. Those leaks contribute to GHG emissions and can be reduced through effective state regulation. Reducing natural gas leakage to one percent or less of total production is an achievable and cost-effective benchmark, and ensures that natural gas is less climate-intensive than diesel fuel and gasoline when used in transportation, and coal when used for electricity generation. In order to achieve that one percent benchmark, significant improvements must take place. Successful regulation of methane emissions must take place throughout the supply chain on both a state and federal level. Reducing methane release from Natural Gas sources is doable now and is cost effective.

All statements and/or propositions in discussion prompts are meant exclusively to stimulate discussion and do not represent the views of OurEnergyPolicy.org, its Partners, Topic Directors or Experts, nor of any individual or organization. Comments by and opinions of Expert participants are their own.

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