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Methane intensity target

OGCI member companies have achieved their collective 2025 upstream methane intensity target, introduced in 2018.

They reduced upstream methane intensity from their upstream operated oil and gas assets by an average of 17% in 2021, a decrease of 44% in the five years since the 2017 baseline.

With a 2025 target intensity of well below 0.20%, member companies launched a new Aiming for Zero Methane Emissions initiative in 2022, striving to reach near zero methane emissions from their operated assets by 2030, while sharing what they are learning about detection, measurement and reduction across the industry.

The methane intensity target introduced a standardized methodology, measuring the volume of methane emissions from member companies’ upstream oil and gas operations as a percentage of the volume of the total gas marketed. The 0.2% target it set is now frequently referenced as the industry standard to strive for.

OGCI member companies’ aggregate methane intensity is now 0.17%, in the range of the current target of well below 0.20%. Importantly, this improvement in intensity has translated into a 40% decrease in absolute upstream methane emissions over the five-year period. The fall in absolute methane emissions continued in 2021, even as member companies’ natural gas production increased.

Lessons learned

The target impacted the way companies address methane emissions in their operations in three key areas:

  • LEAKS: expand leak detection and repair campaigns and replace or upgrade high-emitting devices
  • FLARING: aim for zero routine flaring and improve flaring controls
  • VENTING: Reduce the need for safety venting in new and existing assets
OGCI activities

Tackling methane emissions

Join the Aiming for Zero Methane Emissions Initiative to support net zero.

Methane Emissions

Explore latest resources

March 25, 2024

Results from the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative’s latest Satellite Monitoring Campaign (SMC) show that a systematic effort to raise awareness, deploy new technologies and engagement can support local operators mitigate methane emissions at scale. OGCI’s 2022-2023 campaign over Algeria, Kazakhstan and Egypt has already helped local operators eliminate methane emissions, according to a new report.

December 2, 2023

The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, Methane Guiding Principles, OGCI and Environmental Defense Fund announced their intention to build a framework to share expertise to help companies reduce methane emissions and flaring in line with the Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter ambitions.

October 7, 2023

The three organizations collaborated on the project as eliminating methane emissions from the upstream oil and gas industry represents one of the best short-term opportunities for contributing to climate change mitigation and for advancing the goals of the Paris Agreement