A new report highlights the natural gas and oil industry’s progress in reducing flaring

(The following statement is from the American Petroleum Institute’s president and CEO, Mike Sommers.) “Members of ‘The Environmental Partnership’ are taking action to reduce emissions in America’s natural-gas- and oil-industry, through a growing range of initiatives—including a new program on reducing flaring. From 2019 to 2020, participants in that program reported a 50-percent reduction in flare-volumes—even as oil- and natural-gas-production among these companies remained consistent. This incredible progress reflects the principles in A-P-I’s ‘Climate-Action Framework’—which encourages companies to adopt a policy of ‘no routine flaring’, by a specific date. Our industry has a long history of sharing best-practices, implementing innovative programs, and advancing new technologies. And, we can bring about further operational and environmental improvements, in the years ahead. “Thanks to programs like ‘The Environmental Partnership’, methane-emission rates in America’s largest producing-regions have declined by 70-percent—over the past decade. That’s even as the nation produces natural gas that’s more affordable, more reliable, and cleaner. Still, we know that we have more work to do. And, we’ll continue to work with the Biden-administration—to support the direct regulation of methane, and policies that will help the country achieve a strong, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy-future. “Unfortunately, punitive policies under consideration today could reverse the advancements [that] we’ve made in American energy: De-facto leasing-bans, and targeted tax-measures to limit domestic natural-gas- and oil-production, could return the nation to the 1970s-era of dependence on foreign-energy imports—placing the nation at the mercy of countries, like Russia, who do not have America’s best interests at heart, or standards for safety. Energy-demand will continue to rise—especially as the U-S economy recovers. And, increasing dependence on foreign oil is the wrong approach. “You can learn more about opportunities ahead for our industry, ‘The Environmental Partnership’, and A-P-I’s ‘Climate-Action Framework’ at ‘a-p-i’-dot-org.”