The Bakken oil and gas field in North Dakota produces methane emissions during fossil fuel extraction.
The levels of this potent greenhouse gas increased substantially faster from 2014 to 2015 than in the period from 2007 to 2013.
The U.S. oil and gas industry emits 13 million metric tons of methane from its operations each year – nearly 60 percent more than currently estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency, a new study in the journal Science finds.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with more than 80 times the climate warming impact of carbon dioxide over a 20-year timespan.
Although the percentages seem small, the volume represents enough natural gas to fuel 10 million homes – lost gas worth an estimated $2 billion.
Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas and oil.
“No new measurements were made for this study," said Richard Meyer, the American Gas Association’s managing director of energy analysis. »
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