Oil & Gas Climate Initiative

Case studies

Learn more about our member companies’ work to reduce GHG emissions and flaring, develop low-carbon fuels for transport and scale up CCUS hubs to help reduce emissions from hard-to-abate sectors.

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Spotlight

bp reduces flaring and emissions at Permian Basin facility

Since acquiring assets in the Permian Basin, bpx – bp’s US onshore business – has taken a leadership role in advancing technology to reduce emissions and unlock long-term value.

At the center of this effort is bp’s redesign of acquired well site facilities into “hydra” sites, a next-generation infrastructure model that flows production to centralized facilities.

Hydra sites are engineered by bpx to eliminate storage tanks, flares, and onsite compression at new well sites.This enables industry-leading emissions performance.

For legacy well sites, bpx upgraded key equipment, replacing gas-driven pneumatics with air systems to eliminate intermittent methane emissions and expanded vapor recovery to capture more gas that would otherwise be lost.

This integrated and efficient design has delivered measurable impact. Flaring has been reduced by 99%, and bpx eliminated routine flaring. The company has set a strict standard: no new bpx well is brought online unless it’s connected to a gas pipeline from startup.

Through ongoing innovation in site design, equipment, and operating standards, bpx is building a scalable model for low-carbon growth in the Permian Basin, delivering operational excellence while significantly reducing its environmental footprint.

bpx’s Grand Slam facility in the Permian Basin, near Orla, Texas. Copyright: bp

“In the Permian, our bpx team has achieved its accelerated goal of zero routine flaring by 2025 and significantly reduced emissions through next-gen Hydra sites—an innovation that’s reshaping how we design and operate. It’s a powerful step towards our aim to reach net zero operations by 2050 or sooner.”

Murray Auchincloss, CEO, bp

Spotlight

TotalEnergies shares AUSEA methane detection across industry

To help accelerate the oil and gas industry’s action to reduce methane emissions to near zero by 2030, TotalEnergies is sharing its cutting-edge drone-based methane emissions detection and measurement system AUSEA (Airborne Ultralight Spectrometer for Environmental Applications) with companies on three continents.

To date, TotalEnergies has signed cooperation agreements with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Oil India Ltd, Petrobras in Brazil, SOCAR in Azerbaijan and Sonangol in Angola that allow them to use AUSEA to better understand and abate methane emissions at their operations.

The AUSEA gas analyzer, developed by TotalEnergies and its research and development partners,¹ consists of a dual sensor that can pinpoint the presence and the source of both methane and CO₂emissions.

The sensor features a diode laser spectrometer and can detect and quantify methane emissions with a high level of accuracy of more than 1 kilogram per hour.

AUSEA’s ability to detect both CO₂ and methane emissions at onshore and offshore facilities of all types and to reach even the most difficult-to-access areas have made it one of the industry’s most accurate methods for finding and tracking methane emissions.

1 Reims Champagne Ardennes University, GSMA and CNRS

TotalEnergies AUSEA drone demonstration in France. Credit: TotalEnergies

“Cutting methane emissions from operations is a priority as technologies are available. The first step is to measure emissions, asset by asset. By making our AUSEA technology available to our partners, TotalEnergies is taking a concrete step to encourage the whole industry, including national companies, to aim for zero methane emissions.”

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman & CEO, TotalEnergies

Spotlight

TotalEnergies deploys continuous methane monitoring

In 2024, TotalEnergies announced a plan to deploy continuous, real-time methane monitoring detection equipment across all its upstream operations – the largest project of its kind in the industry.

The equipment is expected to be installed at every facility TotalEnergies operates, including those under development, by the end of 2025. It includes the use of existing and proven technologies such as Internet of Things sensors, InfraRed
cameras, flow meters, pyrometers and Predictive Emissions Monitoring Systems.

This builds on other initiatives, including TotalEnergies’ successful deployment of Airborne Ultralight Spectrometer for Environment Applications (AUSEA) technology, starting in 2022.

AUSEA comprises a drone-mounted ultralight CO₂ and methane sensor and ensures access to hard-to-reach emissions points while delivering readings with high precision.

The successful deployment of TotalEnergies’ AUSEA drone campaign, alongside strategic abatement projects, have helped the company meet its target to reduce its operated methane emissions by more than 50% versus 2020 levels in 2024 – a year earlier than planned.

This puts the company on track to meet its ambition to reduce methane emissions by 80% by 2030 to achieve near zero methane emissions.

Credit: TotalEnergies

“Continuous, real-time detection will enable our operators to act in an even more decisive manner in order to reduce our methane emissions and to repair leaks to achieve our near-zero methane emissions ambition.”

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman & CEO, TotalEnergies

Spotlight

Shell achieves methane and flaring targets

Shell QGC (Shell operated), which produces natural gas, has long used advanced technology such as sensors, drones and satellites to detect potential methane leaks from its extensive infrastructure and improve emissions reporting.

This has helped QGC reduce reported methane emissions by 70% compared with 2016.

Shell aims to maintain methane emissions intensity for global operated oil and gas assets below 0.20% (continued to be met in 2024), and achieve near-zero methane emissions intensity by 2030. As of January 1, 2025, Shell no longer routinely flares from its operated oil and gas assets.

LNG facility, Curtis Island, Australia Credit: Shell

“Shell remains a leader in reducing emissions of methane. By the end of 2024, we had reduced total methane emissions from assets under our operational control by 76% compared with 2016. We have also met our target to eliminate routine flaring from our upstream-operated assets, five years ahead of the World Bank Zero Routine Flaring Initiative deadline, as we continue on our journey to deliver more value with less emissions.”

Wael Sawan, CEO, Shell

Spotlight

Chevron’s approach to reducing its methane intensity

From 2016 to 2024, Chevron has reduced its methane intensity by over 50%.

To manage methane intensity, Chevron has a threepronged approach that includes facility design, operating practices and advancing technology.

In 2024, Chevron completed its largest methane emissions reduction project in Colorado executing more than 250 facility retrofits to reduce methane emissions.

The facilities were converted to operate pneumatic devices with nitrogen, instead of field natural gas, which helps keep methane in the pipe.

This project started as a pilot to trial technology on three facilities and was quickly scaled up.

Chevron shares lessons across the company, and the same technology is being considered for a pilot in the Permian Basin.

Chevron believes an important first step in mitigating emissions is improving methane detection.

Since 2016, Chevron has trialed over 20 methane detection technologies and incorporates solutions into its methane detection campaign.

Chevron believes that combining operational data with detection information enhances its understanding of methane emissions and recently published its findings in the SPE Journal.

Credit: Chevron

“Chevron remains focused on lowering the carbon intensity of our operations through energy efficiency, methane management, and flaring reduction. Our Colorado facility retrofits exemplify these efforts. We collaborate with organizations like OGCI to advance understanding and share best practices across the industry.”

Mike Wirth, Chairman & CEO, Chevron