Methane is a greenhouse gas, emitted both by natural sources and from human activity. Methane is also the largest component of natural gas, the product that companies sell. Operators have every incentive to capture and sell as much of this product as possible to American consumers, rather than letting it escape into the atmosphere. And independent oil and natural gas producers have made great strides in reducing our carbon footprint by cutting emissions without raising energy costs.
In fact, the United States leads the world in the reduction of carbon emissions, even as the production of U.S. oil and natural gas continues to increase. Our success in lowering carbon emissions in the United States is not because of additional regulations, but because of the increased use of clean-burning natural gas.
IPAA recognizes the need for environmentally sound, cost-effective regulations to match industry emissions. Industry seeks to find a regulatory pathway designed for the sources it regulates. Big new oil and natural gas wells and low producing older wells have differing emissions profiles. Our members are making constant improvements to the technology being used to reduce, measure and report on emissions.
IPAA has met with and will continue to meet with the Biden Administration as it considers initiatives to reduce methane and other greenhouse gas emissions.
You can find IPAA’s methane-related comments in the ‘Correspondence’ section on this page.
Methane Emissions Continue to Decline Across U.S. Oil & Gas Basins
IPAA endorses The Environmental Partnership, a voluntary program comprised of companies in the U.S. oil and natural gas industry committed to continuously improving the industry’s environmental performance. It includes companies of all sizes, including many of the country’s major oil and natural gas producers. Learn more about the program at www.theenvironmentalpartnership.org.
With the opening of the 119th Congress, potential legislative actions could repeal or modify the Methane Tax through the Congressional Review Act (CRA) process.
Well structured, cost effective regulations are essential to manage emissions while assuring that American oil and natural gas producers can provide the energy demanded by the U.S. and world economies.
WASHINGTON – The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) issued the following statement on bicameral Congressional Review Act legislation introduced by Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) and Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX-11) to block implementation of the Biden Administration’s methane tax. IPAA President & CEO Jeff Eshelman: “The Independent Petroleum Association......
04 February, 2025WASHINGTON – Today the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) – advocating for thousands of oil and natural gas producers that develop 90 percent of wells nationwide – issued the following statement on the EPA Waste Emissions Charge final rule. IPAA President & CEO Jeff Eshelman: “IPAA......
12 November, 2024Dear Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Pingree: This letter is submitted on behalf of the organizations listed below. These organizations want to express serious concerns regarding the impact of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new methane emissions regulation (Subpart OOOOc) on oil and natural gas......
28 June, 2024The Independent Petroleum Association (IPAA) issued the following statement in response to Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introducing legislation to repeal the Natural Gas Tax included in the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. IPAA President & CEO Jeff Eshelman: “The methane tax that was included in......
28 May, 2024WASHINGTON – The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) released the following statement from President and CEO Jeff Eshelman on the new National Petroleum Council (NPC) report on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the natural gas supply chain being presented today to Department of Energy Secretary Granholm:......
23 April, 2024The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) submits these comments regarding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to implement a Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems (WEC) under the Inflation Reduction Act Methane Emissions Reduction Program (Methane Tax). In addition to the......
26 March, 2024
