“With the climate crisis upon us, companies can’t
afford to ignore their contributions to climate
change,” said Ben Ratner, senior director at the
Environmental Defense Fund. “In at least one
or two parts of (Exxon’s methane) framework,
what they are recommending appeared to fall
considerably short of what would be considered
the best available operational practice and
regulatory requirements.”
Exxon’s model framework included establishing
a leak detection and repair program to identify
and fix gas leaks as soon as possible, with
inspections for leaks happening at least once per
year. Some major oil companies are conducting
inspections monthly, using sensors mounted on
drones, Ratner said.
“The truth is it needs to be much more, and we
need to be driving to a world of continuous,
real-time monitoring and rapid mitigation of
this highly potent greenhouse gas,” Ratner said.
“Once-a-year inspection is not a serious proposal
for regulatory requirements that are up to the
magnitude of the challenge.”
Exxon, which is based in Irving, Texas, said its
framework is a starting point for discussions for
policy makers, and that governments or private
companies could choose to go above and
beyond what’s presented in the model.
The company also suggested that if an oil
and gas operator had to vent natural gas, it
would be better to burn it off, or “flare” it,
instead of releasing methane directly into
the atmosphere. It suggested improving the
combustion efficiency of flares so that methane
isn’t accidentally released as a result
of incomplete combustion.