The Government of Alberta says that a new program will make it easier for small and medium oil and gas companies to reduce methane emissions. The new Methane Emissions Reduction Program is designed to help oil and gas facilities identify, reduce, improve or eliminate methane waste through energy-efficient equipment upgrades, boosting competitiveness, productivity and environmental performance. “A key component of Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan includes reducing methane emissions by 45 per cent by 2025. Methane emissions are not only harmful to our environment, they can shorten equipment life and increase operating costs for industry. This program will help pinpoint problem areas and solutions, saving businesses money, creating jobs and bringing Alberta closer to reaching our methane reduction targets,” environment minister Shannon Phillips said in a statement. The total incentive available for facility owners is $250,000 per facility, per fiscal year. The incentives are designed for oil and gas facilities operating in Alberta that do not exceed 40,000 barrels of oil per day. The province said that work with the Alberta Energy Regulator to develop provincial oil and gas methane standards is also currently underway. While the directives are being finalized, the government said it is supporting industry’s early action on methane reductions through Emissions Reduction Alberta’s Methane Challenge, the Carbon Competitiveness Incentive Regulation and Oil Sands Innovation funding.
The government of the Canadian province of Alberta has opened a new programme aimed at reducing methane emissions from small and medium-sized oil and gas companies. The programme, which will seek to reduce methane emissions through equipment upgrades, boosting competitiveness, productivity and environmental performance, is part of the province's Climate Leadership Plan, which has set a target of reducing methane emissions by 45% by 2025. Under the scheme, facilities that produce less than 40,000 barrels per day oil are eligible for incentives 250,000 per year.