Alberta confirms 52% reduction in methane emissions

Alberta, Canada’s main oil and gas producing province, said November 7 the latest data from the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) confirmed the province had reduced its methane emissions by 52% from 2014, even as oil and gas production continued to increase.

Locked in a battle with the federal government over an emissions cap which she says is effectively a production cap, Rebecca Schulz, Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, said the data confirms emissions can be reduced without “punitive” federal regulations or caps.

“We do not need Ottawa to tell us how to reduce emissions,” she said. “In fact, the federal government should learn from Alberta’s success. By working closely with industry and focusing on technology, not costly taxes or unrealistic targets, we can achieve rapid emission reductions while delivering the safe, affordable, reliable energy the world needs.”

Under Alberta’s equivalency agreement with Ottawa, the province is in charge of regulating methane emissions and works closely with industry on achievable results by utilising carbon offsets, implementing strong regulatory requirements and mandating improved leak detection and repair programmes.

“This is estimated to have saved industry about $600mn compared with the alternative federal regulations that would otherwise have been required,” the province said in a statement.

And since 2020, Alberta has invested more than C$78mn to improve methane monitoring and management. Nearly 15,000 wells across the province have been reviewed and 17mn tonnes of emissions avoided.

Schulz will travel to Azerbaijan next week to lead Alberta’s delegation at COP 29, where she will share what the province is doing to reduce emissions while keeping energy safe, reliable and affordable.