Saskatchewan making progress on methane emissions

The Government of Saskatchewan says methane emissions at upstream oil facilities have dropped significantly from 2015 levels.

In its inaugural Oil and Gas Emissions Management Regulations (OGEMR) Annual Emissions Report, the Ministry of Energy and Resources said methane emissions from vented and flared gas at upstream oil facilities in 2020 totalled 5.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).

That was a reduction of 5.7 million tonnes from the 2015 level of 10.9 million tonnes. The ministry said the reduction was the same as taking more than 1.1 million cars off Saskatchewan roads for a year.

“Our provincial oil and gas sector has made substantial progress in reducing methane emissions and has, in fact, surpassed current reduction targets,” Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre said in a media release.

“If other energy-producing nations around the world emulated Saskatchewan’s sustainable practices and high regulatory standards, including around methane, global energy-produced emissions would instantly fall by 25 per cent.”

The goal of Saskatchewan’s Methane Action Plan and OGEMR is to lower methane emissions by 40 to 45 per cent from 2015 levels by 2025. The government noted its latest data shows emissions reduction targets under MAP could be met before 2025.