The United States oil and gas sector is a global leader in the technology and operational practices that ensure the efficient use of methane.  The oil and gas sector has the greatest share of cost-effective and technically feasible methane mitigation potential.  Rapidly reducing methane emissions is a win-win, enhancing energy security and contributing to energy abundance such as through expanded LNG flows.  CLDP’s Energy and Minerals team draws on the deep experience of the U.S. private sector to advise on the legal, regulatory, and contractual reforms that will attract responsible investment in efficient management of resources for shared global prosperity and security.    

Methane Abatement for Oil & Gas – A Handbook for Policymakers 

With sponsorship from the US Department of State, Bureau of Energy Resources, CLDP developed an open-access, plain language handbook for policymakers on reducing methane from oil and gas operations for energy security and prosperity, entitled Methane Abatement for Oil and Gas – Handbook for Policymakers.  The Handbook is a starting point for understanding the laws, rules, and best practices that countries can adopt and implement to effectively manage methane when producing oil and gas so as to leverage those resources for shared energy and economic growth goals.

A practical resource for decision-makers on the legal framework and strategy behind encouraging methane abatement from the oil and gas sector, this guide empowers legislators, ministries, regulators, and National Oil Company officials to adopt and enforce rules that will profitably, rapidly, and effectively reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.  The Handbook was created using the Book Sprints method, in close collaboration with a diverse group of experts from U.S. government agencies, foreign governments, the oil and gas industry, multilateral institutions, and energy organizations. 

The Handbook can be downloaded in full here:

The Handbook is also available in Russian, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Turkmen, Arabic, Malay, Bahasa Indonesia, French, and Thai.

Overview of Each Chapter

The authors of the Handbook prepared brief presentations giving a general overview of each chapter of the book.  Please find the links to the presentations below.

• Chapter 1: The Methane Opportunity (video link) | The Methane Opportunity (presentation link) 
• Chapter 2: Planning to Reduce Methane Emissions from the Oil and Gas Sector (video link) | Planning to Reduce Methane Emissions from the Oil and Gas Sector (presentation link)
• Chapter 3: Getting Started on Methane Abatement Regulations (video link) | Getting Started on Methane Abatement Regulations (presentation link)
• Chapter 4: Methane Sources by Oil and Gas Market Segment (video link) |  Methane Sources by Oil and Gas Market Segment (presentation link)
• Chapter 5: Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) (video link) | Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) (presentation link)
• Chapter 6: Flaring and Venting (video link) | Flaring and Venting (presentation link)
• Chapter 7: Equipment and Process Standards (video link) | Equipment and Process Standards (presentation link)
• Chapter 8: Inventories (video link) | Inventories (presentation link)
• Chapter 9: Monitoring (video link) | Monitoring (presentation link)
• Chapter 10: Ensuring Compliance (video link) | Ensuring Compliance (presentation link)
• Chapter 11: Financing for Methane Abatement (video link) | Financing for Methane Abatement (presentation link)

Technical Assistance for Methane Abatement in the Oil & Gas Sector 

In addition to the Handbook, CLDP provides technical assistance on a government-to-government basis.  CLDP's technical assistance on methane management from the oil and gas sector provides government and private sector partners with the essential tools and comprehensive legal frameworks to profitably avoid wasting methane to meet public and private sector emissions goals and energy security objectives.  By promoting US-friendly standards and international best practices, CLDP's approach unites public and private sector efforts to foster enabling business environments where methane abatement can take place without sacrificing energy sector investment:

• How to Make Reducing Methane a Win-Win, such as how oil and gas operators can increase revenues, reduce costs, and governments can boost security globally; how to find the sources of methane emissions in the entire oil and gas value chain from upstream, midstream, and downstream; and how to set reduction targets and prioritize what sources should be mitigated most profitably. 
• How to Commercialize Flared Natural Gas, to create new sources of revenue for governments, incentivizing associated gas for consumption and enabling and fast-tracking gas infrastructure. 
• How to Procure Methane Reduction Goods and Services, such as how companies – including State Owned Entities – can immediately begin procuring methane mitigation and management services that will reduce methane emissions to meet their government’s targets.  The US is the world leader in methane management technologies and exports these goods and services worldwide.