European Union (EU) countries approved a law on May 27 to impose methane emissions limits on Europe’s oil and gas imports from 2030, pressuring international suppliers to cut leaks of the potent greenhouse gas.
Reuters reports that at a meeting in Brussels, ministers from EU countries gave their governments’ final approval to the policy, meaning it can now enter into force. Only Hungary voted against it.
From 2030, the EU will impose “maximum methane intensity values” on fossil fuels placed on the European market. The European Commission will design the exact methane limits by that date.
The EU will also require European producers to regularly check their operations for methane leaks and ban most flaring and venting cases when oil and gas companies intentionally burn off or release unwanted methane into the atmosphere.
Oil and gas importers who flout the limit could face financial penalties. Reuters reports that the rules will likely hit major gas suppliers such as the US, Algeria, and Russia.
Moscow slashed deliveries to Europe since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine and has since been replaced as Europe’s biggest pipeline gas supplier by Norway, whose supply has among the world’s lowest methane intensities.
Methane is the main component of the natural gas countries burn in power plants and to heat homes. It is also the second-biggest cause of climate change after carbon dioxide. It fuels global warming when it escapes into the atmosphere from leaky oil and gas pipelines and infrastructure.
The African narrative
Meanwhile, in Africa, the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) hosted several industry stakeholders on May 21 and 22 for a Roundtable on Gas Flaring and Fugitive Methane Emissions.
The APPO Roundtable in Accra, Ghana, marked a significant step towards Africa’s unified approach to reducing gas flaring and methane emissions in the continent’s oil and gas industry. Some of the decisions taken at the roundtable include;
- A plan to intensify efforts to reduce unnecessary gas flaring and methane emissions. This will be executed by implementing stricter regulations, adopting best practices, and investing in technologies that capture and utilize associated gas.
- The roundtable also highlighted the importance of industry-regulator-academia collaboration in supporting research and development initiatives. This partnership aims to find innovative solutions to reduce flaring and methane emissions and ensure academic curricula reflect industry needs.