Methane is a short-lived greenhouse gas, but its ability to warm the atmosphere is much stronger than that of carbon dioxide (CO2). Where does methane come from and how can we reduce its emissions into the air? It is colorless and odorless, and forms the main component of natural gas, trapping a significant amount of heat in the atmosphere.

Methane (CH4) has a greenhouse effect that is approximately 84 times stronger than CO2, which is widely recognized as the main greenhouse gas contributing to climate change, over a 20-year time horizon. The main difference between the two gases is their duration in the atmosphere; methane breaks down in about 12 years, while CO2 can warm the planet for centuries. This means that while CO2 is the main contributor to climate change, methane plays a significant role in the warming process during its short existence, accounting for about a third of the global warming since the Industrial Revolution.

Where does methane come from?

Methane can also originate from natural processes, such as release from wetlands. These habitats contain permafrost, which is frozen soil that holds carbon from dead plants and animals that have been there for hundreds of thousands of years. As a result of global warming, permafrost is melting, releasing the sclerotic carbon in the form of CO2 and methane. However, about 60 % of methane in the atmosphere is the result of human activities, which include agriculture (e.g., methane released from cows and manure) and decomposing waste in landfills.

How does methane escape from the energy sector?

Most of the energy that humanity consumes comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Oil and gas are the main sources of methane emissions in the energy sector. Methane is released during the extraction, transportation and storage of fossil fuels. Emissions can be unintentional – leaks can occur when equipment is damaged or simply when bolts come loose. During oil extraction, methane is then combusted, which converts it to CO2, but raw methane can still be released during this process.

Sometimes, small amounts of natural gas are also released directly into the atmosphere, which is called venting. Companies do this for a variety of reasons, including the cost of processing and transporting the gas that is released into the air during oil extraction, or for safety reasons to prevent dangerous overproduction of pressure.

What measures can we take to reduce methane emissions?

The solutions can be surprisingly simple. According to the International Energy Agency, oil and gas companies could reduce their methane emissions by a whopping 75 % if they checked for and fixed leaks. This process mainly involves plumbing and upgrading faulty equipment.

In May, the European Union approved new regulations that force fossil fuel producers to regularly measure, report and reduce methane emissions. If a leak occurs, they must fix it within 15 working days. These regulations prohibit methane flaring and venting in most cases, with venting only permitted in emergencies and flaring only permitted when it is not possible to promptly re-inject the natural gas into the ground or transport it elsewhere. (Co2AI).