Emissions Inventories: The Key to Tracking Methane Reduction

Bridger Photonics’ mission is clear: We help oil and gas companies achieve clean, safe, and streamlined operations by providing them with actionable methane emissions data. We’ve had the distinct honor of working alongside dozens of the big global players in the energy industry, so we’ve gained valuable insights into their evolving challenges. That firsthand visibility makes our mission feel more relevant and urgent than ever. And it makes it clear that one of the major challenges facing operators today is tracking emissions in a way that lets them demonstrate actual, quantified reductions. 

What these operators need is accurate emissions inventories.

At Bridger, we provide best-in-class data that helps our clients accurately detect, measure, and reduce methane emissions. Our aerial Gas Mapping LiDAR (GML) sensors detect emissions down to 1 kg/hr with a 90% probability of detection. Because we can quantify every single leak, we’re uniquely capable of helping operators calculate emissions inventories that baseline and track emissions over time with unprecedented accuracy. 

But what exactly are emissions inventories? And how does accuracy come into play to minimize error? Let’s take a closer look.

What Are Methane Emissions Inventories?

Methane emissions inventories are an emissions reporting method that estimates the total mass of methane emitted, typically in kilograms or tons, over a period of time—often one year (annualized). For the oil and gas industry, emissions inventories are determined for a specific geographic area, ranging in size from a single facility to an operator’s entire infrastructure, a basin, or even an entire country. 

Whatever their scope, these inventories are essential. They provide a foundation for:

• Complying with regulatory initiatives like OGMP 2.0: Companies need reliable data to meet the reporting standards of the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0 framework. Our data is used by operators for the most rigorous OGMP 2.0 tiers that get operators to the Gold Standard: Levels 4 and 5. 
• Measuring progress toward sustainability goals: Emissions inventories allow companies to track the real-world impact of their methane reduction strategies.
• Building credibility with stakeholders: Accurate emissions inventories demonstrate transparency and a commitment to reducing emissions, which matters to investors, regulators, and the public.

Driving Real-World Impact: An 18% Annual Reduction

One of our clients in the Eagle Ford basin has achieved an incredible milestone: an 18% annual reduction in methane emissions, year over year. 

Using our data, this client was able to conduct annual emissions inventories, establishing a baseline in their first year and identifying the highest-impact reduction opportunities. They implemented targeted initiatives in response to emissions found in that first scan and repeated the inventory to confidently validate their reductions in the second year. 

This is proof that leveraging methane detection technology to create accurate emissions inventories across assets can drive transformative change at scale.

The most incredible part? This success isn’t an isolated victory! These results are becoming the new standard among industry leaders. In fact, among our largest 20 production-sector clients, we’re seeing very similar reductions, with an average decrease of 18% year over year. Companies like Chevron, EQT, and Pioneer Natural Resources are setting ambitious goals and achieving tangible progress. This momentum is reshaping expectations about what is possible for emissions reduction.

Why Accuracy Matters and How to Get It

It’s important to note that methane emissions inventories are only as useful as the data behind them. Inaccurate quantification or data from technology with poor detection sensitivity undermines the credibility of emission reduction efforts and can lead to costly restatements down the line.

We’ve identified three critical steps to ensure accuracy when calculating emissions inventories. We use these particular steps with all our clients at Bridger, but you could implement a similar approach regardless of your technology provider.

STEP 1: Remove systematic sources of error. This includes improving detection sensitivity to ensure all emissions are captured and conducting careful sample planning to ensure that the site selection is statistically representative of the full asset base of interest.

STEP 2: Experimentally evaluate confidence bounds. Use scientifically sound methods to correctly characterize repeatability.

STEP 3: Measure enough to meet your specific confidence goals. Our sample planning techniques can inform how many sites need to be measured and how often they need to be measured to get statistical representativeness and overcome the effects of emission intermittency.

Accurate emissions inventories empower companies to act decisively, knowing their strategies are grounded in actual measurements, not assumptions.

The work Bridger is doing today is nothing short of transformative. With the actionable insights Bridger provides, operators are able to achieve tangible, measurable emissions reductions, driving meaningful change in the industry.