Estimates of Methane Emissions by Segment in the United States
EPA estimates methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry in its annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks. Charts summarizing the 2018 methane emissions by oil and gas industry segment are presented below.
Overview
Methane emission estimates aggregated by the major oil and natural gas segments in the United States are presented in the chart below.
| Segment | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Oil Production | 20 |
| Gas Production | 47 |
| Processing | 7 |
| Transmission and Storage | 19 |
| Distribution | 7 |
Production
The Production segment accounts for 67% of the total methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry. The chart below shows the distribution of the top emission sources in this segment.
| Emission Source | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Pneumatic Controllers | 37 |
| Gathering and Boosting Stations | 27 |
| Offshore Platforms | 5 |
| Chemical Injection Pumps | 4 |
| Liquids Unloading | 4 |
| Completions and Workovers | 2 |
| Tanks | 2 |
| Other | 20 |
Processing
The Processing segment accounts for 7% of the total methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry. The chart below shows the distribution of the top emission sources in this segment.
| Emission Source | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Gas Engines | 57 |
| Reciprocating Compressors | 13 |
| Blowdowns/Venting | 9 |
| Centrifugal Compressors | 8 |
| Other | 13 |
Transmission
The Transmission and Storage segment accounts for 19% of the total methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry. The chart below shows the distribution of the top emission sources in this segment.
| Emission Source | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Reciprocating Compressors | 35 |
| Pipelines | 14 |
| Engines | 13 |
| Station Fugitives | 11 |
| Centrifugal Compressors | 9 |
| Station Venting | 9 |
| Pneumatic Controllers | 2 |
| Other | 7 |
Distribution
The Distribution segment accounts for 7% of the total methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry. The chart below shows the distribution of the top emission sources in this segment.
| Emission Source | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Residential Meters | 17 |
| Mishaps (Dig-ins) | 14 |
| Commercial/Industrial Meters | 12 |
| Mains - Unprotected Steel | 10 |
| Mains - Protected Steel | 10 |
| Services - Unprotected Steel | 9 |
| Mains - Cast Iron | 6 |
| Other | 22 |