Scope 1 Emissions (Methane)

Scope 1 emissions refer to direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from sources owned or controlled by a company. For oil and gas operators, this includes methane released during operations, including during production, gathering, processing, transmission, and storage. 

Methane emissions from leaks, venting, flaring, and incomplete combustion are a key component of Scope 1 reporting for ESG disclosures, and jurisdictional regulatory reporting frameworks.

Why Do Scope 1 Emissions (Methane) Matter?

Scope 1 emissions matter for oil and gas operators because they represent the direct GHG emissions from assets they own and control, which is the part of their footprint they can most immediately manage and reduce. Methane, a major component of these emissions, is especially critical because it’s a highly potent GHG, meaning cutting methane emissions offers operators one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to lower an operator’s emissions impact and improve operational efficiency.

Because Scope 1 emissions result from the operator’s own activities, they are:

• Directly attributable and controllable
• Financially material as lost product
• Central to ESG and sustainability reporting
• Required under regulatory and reporting frameworks such as the U.S. EPA’s Subpart W and UNEP’s OGMP 2.0
• Expected in climate-related financial disclosures
• High-impact mitigation opportunities

Accurately measuring and reporting Scope 1 methane emissions is essential for building investor trust, maintaining regulatory compliance, and demonstrating progress on emissions reduction goals.

How Do Scope 1 Emissions (Methane) Work? (Brief Technical)

Scope 1 methane emissions come from sources such as:

• Equipment leaks (“fugitive,” or unintentional emissions)
• Venting from equipment such as pneumatics or tanks for safety or operational reasons (such as pressure relief)
• Combustion-related releases (known as “methane slip” or “combustion slip”) from the incomplete combustion of natural gas during flaring or gas-driven compressor operation
• Vented or flared gas as an associated gas product from oil wells

To calculate Scope 1 methane emissions, operators may use:

• Emission factors based on equipment and activity
• Direct measurement data
• A combination of both, depending on regulatory requirements

Quantified aerial methane data like Bridger Photonics’ Gas Mapping LiDAR® can increase emissions reporting accuracy and aid in understanding Scope 1 emissions, as well as calculating and tracking emissions inventories and intensities over time.

Key Applications in Oil and Gas

• ESG and sustainability reporting
• Jurisdictional climate-related financial disclosures
• U.S. EPA Subpart W and other federal GHG reporting requirements
• OGMP 2.0 reporting requirements
• Identifying and prioritizing high-emitting sources for mitigation

Related: Methane Quantification, Subpart W Methane, Methane Emission Rate, OGMP 2.0, Super-Emitter (Methane)

FAQs