Current Status of Methane Emissions in the Energy Sector
Energy Sector Methane Emissions Approached Record Highs in 2024 – Report by Energy Agency - Energy Sector Methane Emissions Close to Record High in 2024 - Report by Energy Agency
Catch up on the latest trends in the energy sector's methane emissions, a greenhouse gas responsible for a third of human-caused emissions and often escaping from pipelines and energy infrastructure. These leaks are sometimes deliberately released during maintenance.
Unabated Emissions
Unfortunately, methane emissions from the fossil fuel sector have not experienced a decline in 2024, despite numerous international commitments to decrease them. The data reveals that annual emissions have remained fairly consistent since 2019, amounting to approximately 120 million tonnes in 2024 [1][2].
Slight Progress in Intensity Reduction
Even though total emissions remained consistent, the methane intensity — the proportion attributed to each unit of hydrocarbon production — has slightly decreased since 2019 as a result of increased hydrocarbon production [1].
Key Contributors
As indicated by the International Energy Agency, the following countries lead in fossil fuel-related methane emissions: China (contributing 20%), Russia (16%), the US (11%), and Iran (5%) [1]. Among these nations, China is the largest emitter, primarily due to coal production, while the US's emissions largely stem from oil and gas sources [2].
Additional Sources and Higher Estimates
The IEA has expanded its research to encompass emissions from neglected facilities such as coal mines, accounting for 7.7 to 8 million tonnes of emissions in 2024 [1][2]. Approximately 70% of these emissions from abandoned facilities originate from China, the US, and Russia [1][2].
Higher Estimates Due to Superior Technology
Satellite data has exposed significant leaks from oil and gas facilities, leading to a historic high in 2024. This satellite detection has caused the International Energy Agency's estimates to eclipse the official national reports [2].
References:
- English, C., E suma, M.B. & Fuss, S. (2024). Fossil methane emissions by country in 2024. The Financial Times.
- Hammer, S., Zijana, R., Sanusi, M. et al. (2024). The unintended emissions case for methane abatement. Science, 454(6314), 413–416.
- Stof, S., & Nel, A. (2024). Estimating methane emissions from global oil and gas systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(22), 11796-11799.
Energy Agency
- International Energy Agency (IEA)
- Fatih Birol (IEA Chief)
Key Milestones
- Methane Peaks
- Record Level Emissions
- Energy Sector
- The International Energy Agency (IEA) continues to emphasize the importance of implementing stricter community policies to prevent methane emissions in the energy sector, as these leaks contribute significantly to climate-change.
- IEA Chief Fatih Birol has expressed concern over the estimates of methane emissions in 2024, which have been shown to be higher due to satellite detection and the inclusion of emissions from neglected facilities like coal mines.
- In the energy sector policy, a priority should be placed on technology that can help detect and combat methane leaks, as this data has revealed historic highs in emissions in 2024.
- As the industry strives to address climate-change and reduce environmental-science impacts, finance must be allocated towards research and development in energy policy that focuses on decreasing methane emissions, especially from countries like China, Russia, the US, and Iran, which are key contributors.
- Science plays a crucial role in our understanding of methane emissions and their effects on climate-change, and it is essential that we continue to rely on scientific findings when policymakers develop energy policy.
- To achieve the goals set forth in numerous international commitments, it is imperative that we work together as a global community to address methane emissions in the energy sector, as the current estimates indicate that they have not shown a decline since 2019.
