ARB Perspective on Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas

Elizabeth ScheehleJune 1, 2015

Outline

• Why is it important?• What can be done?• What are we doing?– California– Life-cycle

• What research is ARB conducting?• What is our plan going forward?

Why are Methane Emissions from the Oil and Gas Sector Important?

• Short Lived Climate Pollutant Strategy

• Technology Assessment

• Low Carbon Fuel Standard

• Governor’s Goal on Home Heating

California Methane Emissions - 2013

100 year GWP 20 year GWP

National Oil and Gas Emissions and Leakage

• Leakage estimates vary depending on methodology used. – Generally 1-3% with

some outlier estimations

• LCFS: GREET estimate of 1.15% – Based on EPA

emissions adjusted for combustion and distribution

US Natural Gas Methane Emissions (Total = 157.4 MMTCO2e)

Production Processing Transmission Distribution

US Petroleum Methane Emissions(Total = 25.2 MMTCO2e)

Production Transport Refininghttp://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/lcfs/lcfs_meetings/040315presentation.pdf

What can be done?

Source: Economic Analysis of Methane EmissionReduction Opportunities in the U.S. Onshore Oil and NaturalGas Industries

What is ARB doing to reduce Methane Emissions in California

• Oil and Gas Production, Processing, Storage, and Transmission (Compressor Stations)

• Working with CPUC on transmission and distribution pipelines

• But 80-90% of NG and Majority of Crude Oil from Out of State– National Actions Important

8

15%

36%

39%

10%

Source: CEC, Energy Almanac, 2014

Thoughts on Methane Leakage• Emissions to the atmosphere are important, leakage is but one metric to look

at this

• Leakage must be compared on an apples to apples basis and apportioned appropriately

• Super-emitters are noted in recent studies

• Recent meta-analysis suggests emissions underestimated, recent bottom-up studies are varied.

• Research is ongoing and understanding evolving quickly

• Need additional study to resolve discrepancies.

What Research is ARB doing?

Research CollaboratorsSatellite

Measurements(700 km)

Aerial Measurements

(<1 km)

Ground-level Measurements

NASA

CIRPASJPL

NOAA

MobileLBNL

PicarroUC Irvine

TowersARB, Caltech LBNL, LLNL

Scripps

LaboratoryCaltechNOAA

UC Irvine

Remote SensingCaltech

JPL

Field StudiesUC Berkeley

UC DavisOther UCs

CEC11

ARB Ongoing Process

• Complete regulatory processes

• Continue public process on life-cycle methane from Oil and Gas

• Encourage national level actions