Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its fourth annual Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program document which details emissions of the so-called greenhouse gas to the atmosphere by sectors, geographic regions and facilities (e.g. power plants, oil refineries, steel plants, manufacturing plants and waste disposal sites). Emission trends are also provided on the basis of historic data from the past years and forecasts.
According to the report, gas emissions from big industrial plants were 0.6% up in 2012 comparing with 2012, mainly due to the use of coal in energy generation.
On the other hand, methane gas emissions from the oil and gas exploration and production sector were lower by 1% comparing with 2012 and as much as 12% comparing with 2011. A high reduction of methane emission (by 7%) over that period was reported from hydraulically fracture stimulated wells.
Nevertheless, the oil and gas sector was the second largest fixed source of emission in the USA, which released 224 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2013.
EPA expects the emission reduction trend to be permanent, partly due to the introduction of Agency's standards for the oil and gas industry in 2012.
Full report is available at EPA website.
11.01.2015
source: EPA, shale-gas-information-platform
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