Methane measurements: reliable data instead of premature conclusions

Today, Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) published the results of a measurement campaign at oil and gas infrastructure facilities. The association Die Gas- und Wasserstoffwirtschaft cautions against drawing hasty conclusions from qualitative camera footage about the level of methane emissions or possible legal violations. Dr Timm Kehler, Chief Executive of the association:

“Methane emissions must continue to fall, and there is broad agreement on this within the industry as well. That makes it all the more important to distinguish clearly between a visible indication and a reliable measurement result. DUH refers to emissions at 13 facilities, yet it acknowledges itself that its camera can neither reliably quantify the volume nor determine from every recording whether there is a leak or a legal violation. In only four cases does it see any grounds for a complaint at all. Most of the remaining footage shows regular operating and combustion processes.

In doing so, DUH inadvertently illustrates very clearly why we are pushing for clear, uniform measurement standards and legally robust assessment criteria under the EU Methane Regulation. Anyone who wants to reduce methane effectively needs reliable data and clear assessment criteria. In that respect, today’s campaign provides further arguments for amending the regulation rather than against it. Germany has already made considerable progress on methane. According to the German Environment Agency (UBA), methane emissions have fallen by around two thirds since 1990, a much sharper decline than for CO₂ emissions. Gas transmission and distribution have also reduced their emissions significantly. The goal must be to pursue this path consistently.”