Methane

Click HERE to read IPAA’s February 2024 letter to congressional leadership co-signed by 25 other state, regional and national oil and natural gas associations expressing serious concerns regarding the impact of the EPA’s new methane emissions regulations (Subparts OOOOb and OOOOc) and the Methane Emissions Reduction Program (Methane Tax) on oil and natural gas marginal well owners.

Methane is a greenhouse gas, emitted both by natural sources and from human activity. Methane is also the largest component of natural gas, the product that companies sell. Operators have every incentive to capture and sell as much of this product as possible to American consumers, rather than letting it escape into the atmosphere. And independent oil and natural gas producers have made great strides in reducing our carbon footprint by cutting emissions without raising energy costs.

In fact, the United States leads the world in the reduction of carbon emissions, even as the production of U.S. oil and natural gas continues to increase. Our success in lowering carbon emissions in the United States is not because of additional regulations, but because of the increased use of clean-burning natural gas.

IPAA recognizes the need for environmentally sound, cost-effective regulations to match industry emissions. Industry seeks to find a regulatory pathway designed for the sources it regulates. Big new oil and natural gas wells and low producing older wells have differing emissions profiles. Our members are making constant improvements to the technology being used to reduce, measure and report on emissions.

IPAA has met with and will continue to meet with the Biden Administration as it considers initiatives to reduce methane and other greenhouse gas emissions.

You can find IPAA’s methane-related comments in the ‘Correspondence’ section on this page.

EPA Data Show Across-the-Board Drops in Total Methane Emissions in Top Oil, Natural Gas Producing Basins

IPAA endorses The Environmental Partnership, a voluntary program comprised of companies in the U.S. oil and natural gas industry committed to continuously improving the industry’s environmental performance. It includes companies of all sizes, including many of the country’s major oil and natural gas producers. Learn more about the program at www.theenvironmentalpartnership.org.

Fact Sheet

Well structured, cost effective regulations are essential to manage emissions while assuring that American oil and natural gas producers can provide the energy demanded by the U.S. and world economies.

Read more…

Recent Press Releases

  • WASHINGTON – The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) released the following statement from President and CEO Jeff Eshelman on the new National Petroleum Council (NPC) report on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the natural gas supply chain being presented today to Department of Energy Secretary Granholm:......

  • The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) submits these comments regarding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to implement a Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems (WEC) under the Inflation Reduction Act Methane Emissions Reduction Program (Methane Tax). In addition to the......

  • IPAA joined with the American Petroleum Institute (API) and 18 other associations representing all segments of the U.S. oil and natural gas industry operating across the country in calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise its misguided methane fee on American energy.......

  • WASHINGTON – On Friday, the Independent Petroleum Association (IPAA) and 25 other state, regional and national oil and natural gas associations wrote to congressional leadership urging action on methane regulations that could have a detrimental impact on our nation’s energy supply. In their letter, the groups express “serious......

  • “Dear Mr. Speaker, Leader Jeffries, Leader Schumer, and Leader McConnell: This letter is submitted on behalf of the 26 organizations listed below. These organizations want to express serious concerns regarding the impact of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new methane emissions regulations (Subparts OOOOb and......

  • Dear Mr. Ragnauth, The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) respectfully requests a 30-day extension of the public comment period for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Proposed Rule, “Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems (“WEC Rule”) [89 FR 5318]. … EPA has......

Correspondence

IPAA is the industry’s strongest presence in the nation’s capital and these are important times. The entire oil and gas industry remains under fire from anti-development groups; but with these challenges arise unique opportunities that IPAA is seizing for our members.