Royal Dutch Shell announced Monday a target to maintain methane emissions intensity below 0.2 percent by 2025 for all oil and gas assets that it operates.
'This methane target complements Shell's ambition to cut the Net Carbon Footprint of our energy products by around half by 2050, which we announced in November 2017,' said Maarten Wetselaar, director of integrated gas and new energies, in a written statement.
'It is a further demonstration of our continued focus on tackling greenhouse gas emissions. Such efforts are a critical part of Shell's strategy to thrive during the global energy transition by providing more and cleaner energy,' he added.
According to the statement, in order to maintain this methane target, Shell is implementing programs, including using infrared cameras to scan for methane emissions, deploying advanced technology to repair leaks, and replacing high-bleed pneumatically-operated controllers with low emission alternatives.
Shell is aware of the uncertainties with measuring methane emissions, prompting Wetselaar to say, 'We must get a much more accurate understanding of how much we are emitting.'
The target for methane – which has a higher impact on global warming than carbon dioxide when released into the atmosphere – will be measured against a baseline Shell leak rate, which is currently estimated to range from 0.01 percent to 0.8 percent across the company's oil and gas assets, according to the statement.
Head of UN Environment's Energy and Climate Branch Mark Radka called this commitment by Shell 'encouraging in itself but also because of the signals it sends to the rest of the industry'.
'Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, but it has a relatively short lifetime in the atmosphere. That means reducing methane emissions brings immediate climate benefits, buying some time while we work out longer term solutions,' he concluded.
By Hale Turkes
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr