France-based TotalEnergies has announced that it will deploy equipment that can measure methane emissions in real time across all its upstream assets.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. TotalEnergies, which also makes the Total range of coolant and metalworking products, committed in 2022 to virtually eliminating its methane emissions across its operated assets.
Compared to 2020 levels, it has already halved its methane emissions a year ahead of schedule. It is also well on track to achieve its target of an 80% reduction by the end of the decade.
TotalEnergies already has a range of detection equipment in use, but deploying continuous monitoring at all its operated upstream sites will take this a step further.
Proven established technologies will be employed to realise the plan, which should be completed by 2025. Monitoring existing sites in addition to new developments represents a pioneering initiative in the oil and gas sector.
TotalEnergies’ CEO and Chairman, Patrick Pouyanné, said:
“Slashing down methane emissions is a short-term priority to contribute to the fight against climate change. Continuous, real-time detection will enable our operators to act in an even more decisive manner to reduce our methane emissions and to repair leaks to achieve our near-zero methane emissions ambition.”
He added that as a participating company in the Oil & Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC), he was proud that it would be deploying this equipment at scale. He added that the company would also share best practices with the wider industry to reduce methane emissions.
