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Natural Gas STAR Program

Pacific Gas & Electric Company Methane Challenge Partner Profile

Natural Gas STAR Partner Since 1994 | Methane Challenge Partner Since 2016

Pacific Gas & Electric CompanyPacific Gas & Electric CompanyExit has committed to apply best management practices (BMPs) across its operations to mitigate methane emissions from the emission sources listed below.

Learn more about Pacific Gas & Electric Company's progress towards meeting its commitments to implement methane-reducing technologies and practices related to these emission sources:

At the bottom of this page, you will also find the methane reductions that Pacific Gas & Electric Company has achieved in the program.

Background Information: Information submitted by Pacific Gas & Electric Company, including its full dataset, can be found on its document page. This page includes the following documents:

  • Methane Challenge Implementation Plan
  • Historical Actions Fact Sheet (this fact sheet was developed by the company and represents the company's historic efforts to voluntarily reduce methane emissions before joining the Methane Challenge Program)
  • Methane Challenge Reported Data

Transmission and Storage

Pneumatic Controllers

Learn more about emissions from pneumatic controllers, available options to mitigate emissions, and what the BMP Commitment for pneumatic controllers entails.

 
Year Implementation Rate (%) Target Rate and Year (%)
2017 4.44444444444444 -1
2018 91.5254237288136 -1
2019 0 -1
2020 0 100
Commitment Details Company Selection
Segment: Transmission and Storage
Target Year: 2020
Target Implementation Rate: 100%
Current Implementation Rate: 91.53%

Graph shows:  The blue bars show the percentage of high bleed pneumatic controllers to which Pacific Gas & Electric Company has applied a BMP. The green star indicates its 2020 target annual rate (100%). Pacific Gas & Electric Company has implemented this commitment by replacing high bleed pneumatic controllers with zero emitting controllers and by removing high bleed pneumatic controllers from service with no replacement.

Transmission and Storage

Reciprocating Compressors - Rod Packing Vent

Learn more about emissions from reciprocating compressors, available options to mitigate emissions, and what the BMP Commitment for reciprocating compressors entails.

 
Year Implementation Rate (%) Target Rate and Year (%)
2017 36.6666666666667 100
Commitment Details Company Selection
Segment: Transmission and Storage
Target Year: 2017
Target Implementation Rate: 100%
Current Implementation Rate: 36.67%

Graph shows:  The blue bars show the percentage of compressors to which Pacific Gas & Electric Company has applied a BMP in a given year. The green star indicates its 2017 target annual rate (100%).  Pacific Gas & Electric Company has implemented this commitment by replacing the rod packing in its reciprocating compressors at least every three years or every 26,000 hours of operation.

Transmission and Storage

Transmission Pipeline Blowdowns between Compressor Stations

Learn more about emissions from blowdowns, available options to mitigate emissions, and what the BMP Commitment for blowdowns entails.

 
Year Reduction Rate (%) Target Rate and Year (%)
2017 74.8794703278749 -1
2018 79.6756977929531 -1
2019 0 -1
2020 0 50
Commitment Details Company Selection
Segment: Transmission and Storage
Target Year: 2020
Target Reduction Rate: 50%
Current Reduction Rate: 79.68%

Graph shows:  The blue bars show the percent of potential emissions from planned blowdowns that Pacific Gas & Electric Company reduced through implementation of best management practices each year. The green star indicates its 2020 target annual rate (50%). Pacific Gas & Electric Company has implemented this commitment by routing gas to beneficial use and low-pressure systems.


Distribution

Excavation Damages

Learn more about emissions from excavation damages, available options to mitigate emissions, and what the BMP Commitment for excavation damages entails.

 
Year Reporting Rate (%) Target Rate and Year (%)
2017 88.8888888888889 -1
2018 100 -1
2019 0 -1
2020 0 100
Commitment Details Company Selection
Segment: Distribution
Target Year: 2020
Target Reporting Rate: 100%
Current Reporting Rate: 100%

Graph shows:  The blue bars show Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s annual progress towards reporting on all Excavation Damages data elements. The green star indicates its 2020 target annual rate (100%).

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Methane Reductions

 
Year Methane Reductions (MTCO2eq)
2017 307774.25
2018 284923.75
2019 0
2020 0

Since joining the Methane Challenge program, Pacific Gas & Electric Company has achieved the following methane emissions reductions, which are also expressed in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents and the value of the amount of natural gas saved:

  • Methane emissions reductions: 23,708 metric tons
  • Reductions in carbon dioxide equivalents: 592,698 metric tons
  • Natural gas savings: $3,704,363*

*Natural gas savings assumes a natural gas price of $3.00 per thousand cubic feet, based on the average of daily Henry Hub Natural Gas Spot Prices in 2018, rounded to the nearest dollar

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Pursuant to 5 CFR § 2635.702(c)(2), names are displayed here as the result of recognition for achievement given under an agency program of recognition for accomplishment in support of the agency’s mission. Any reference to a specific company or commercial product or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, company, or otherwise does not constitute or imply the endorsement or recommendation of EPA.


Methane Challenge Program LogoAbout the Methane Challenge Program

The Methane Challenge Program provides a new mechanism through which U.S. oil and gas companies can make more specific and transparent commitments to reducing methane emissions. Partner companies choose between two commitment options to cost-effectively reduce methane emissions. For background information on the Methane Challenge program, please check out the Methane Challenge Fact Sheet.

Best Management Practice (BMP) Commitment
The BMP Commitment is intended to spur near-term, widespread implementation of methane mitigation activities across the oil and natural gas value chain to address methane emissions from key emitting sources. By committing to address an emission source, the partner is committing to implement a BMP on all such sources in their operations. Progress towards a commitment is generally indicated by the percent of sources to which the partner has implemented a BMP as part of the Methane Challenge. Commitments for a few sources are instead based on achieving a target rate (of equipment replacement or methane emission reductions).
Learn more about the BMP Commitment.

ONE Future Emissions Intensity Commitment
The ONE Future Commitment is intended to drive action to achieve segment-specific intensity targets, established through the ONE Future Partnership, which will represent emissions per volume produced or volume of throughput and add up to a 1% or less “leakage rate” along the natural gas value chain by 2025.
Learn more about the ONE Future Emissions Intensity Commitment
Learn more about the ONE Future PartnershipExit

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