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Our work in methane emissions

OGCI: reducing Methane emissions

How OGCI is driving industry action on methane

For more than a decade, OGCI member companies have been at the forefront of methane emissions abatement at their own operations – developing approaches, technologies and reporting frameworks that are being shared and adopted across the global oil and gas industry, including with signatories to the Oil & Gas Decabonization Charter, launched at COP28.

Path to net zero

Since 2017 OGCI member companies have

Reduced upstream methane emissions by

0 %

Reduced routine flaring by

0 %

Reduced upstream carbon intensity by

0 %

“With satellites, aircraft, drones and ground sensors, detecting methane leaks will be unavoidable. We've contributed to enabling some of this progress and there's no longer anywhere for methane to hide.”

Bob Dudley, Chairman, OGCI

Why methane?

Methane is around 27 to 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year period.¹ However, because it is shorter-lived in the atmosphere than CO₂, reducing methane emissions delivers near-term climate benefits faster than almost any other intervention. This makes abating methane emissions one of the most effective levers available to slow climate change in the near-term, while CO₂ reductions take effect over the longer-term.

According to the IEA’s Global Methane Tracker 2025, the oil and gas sector accounts for around 23% of all methane emissions attributable to human activities.² Unlike many other emissions challenges, the technology and operational know-how to reduce these emissions already exists. The task is to deploy it consistently and at scale across the industry.

Abating methane emissions from upstream oil and gas operations has been a strategic priority for OGCI since the group launched in 2014.

OGCI’s approach

OGCI is a CEO-led initiative comprising 12 of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, collectively producing approximately 25% of the world’s oil and gas on an operated basis in 2024.³ For over a decade, OGCI’s member companies have worked to reduce methane emissions from their upstream operations, proving that meaningful and cost-effective abatement is achievable across a wide range of operational contexts.

OGCI’s approach focuses on detection, measurement, reduction, and scale. Technologies including satellites, drones and site sensors help operators detect methane faster.

Accurate measurement enables companies to understand emissions and track progress. OGCI’s member companies reduce those emissions through a strategy that includes leak detection and repair, equipment upgrades and improved operations.

OGCI then shares best practices based on their experience, and technical support across the industry through peer-to-peer engagement and collaboration, enabling other operators to apply proven approaches more quickly. OGCI believes virtually all methane emissions from the industry can and should be avoided and is working to achieve near zero methane emissions from their operated assets by 2030.

“OGCI and its members are actively engaged in sharing knowledge, experience and best practices accumulated over a decade of work reducing emissions at their own oil and gas operations.”

Bjørn Otto Sverdrup, OGCI Executive Committee Chairman and Head of OGDC Secretariat

“At times, we have challenged one another to do more than each of us independently thought was possible, and I think together we’ve made great progress.”

Darren Woods, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Exxon Mobil Corporation

OGCI progress abating methane emissions

Since 2017, OGCI member companies have reduced their total operated methane emissions by 63% and routine flaring by 72%. In 2024, OGCI members’ aggregate upstream methane intensity reached 0.12%,⁴ achieving the group’s collective ambition of well below 0.20%, and significantly lower than the global industry average.

For eight consecutive years, OGCI’s aggregate methane intensity has improved year-on-year. As agreed by OGCI’s CEOs in 2026, member companies are now collectively aiming for 0.1%.⁵

Shaping industry best practice

OGCI member companies were the first in the oil and gas industry to agree a collective ambition to reduce operated upstream methane intensity. That ambition was achieved ahead of schedule, demonstrating what’s achievable and setting a standard for the industry to aim for.

The reach of OGCI’s upstream methane intensity ambition, defined as well below 0.20%, continues to grow. It is now widely used across industry and in legislation as a benchmark of best practice.

It underpins the Aiming for Zero Methane Emissions Initiative that OGCI launched in 2022 to encourage companies and solutions providers to employ a zero-tolerance approach to methane emissions.

It is recognized by NGOs, the UN’s Environment Programme and governments as best practice.⁶ And it is central to the Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter’s near-zero upstream methane emissions ambition.⁷

OGCI is committed to engaging more of the oil and gas industry and sharing the knowledge and tools to reduce emissions.

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

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

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

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

Flagship initiatives

OGCI delivers its methane ambition through a set of targeted initiatives designed to address a specific part of the challenge: from detection and operator support in the field, to knowledge-sharing and gaining industry-wide commitment and action.

Satellite monitoring

Methane is colourless and odourless, which historically made it challenging to detect the emissions. As satellite technology advanced, OGCI saw an opportunity to use satellites to detect methane emissions and then to support and enable operators to address them. To achieve this, OGCI combined the reach of space-based monitoring with peer-to-peer engagement with local operators on the ground.

OGCI’s Satellite Monitoring Campaign (SMC), conducted with GHGSat, uses high-resolution satellite imagery to detect large methane emission events at specific facilities. What makes it distinctive is its confidential peer-to-peer approach after a detection to share data and best practice to help operators identify and abate the methane emissions. Operators act through leak detection and repair, equipment upgrades and improved operations.

OGCI’s approach through the SMC has one of the highest response rates in the industry. The organization has extended SMC support and learnings to signatories of the Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter.

OGCI’s satellite campaign began with a pilot in Iraq in 2021 covering six oil fields, expanded to Kazakhstan, Algeria and Egypt in 2022–2023, and then moved to a third phase covering more than 30 assets across Central Asia and North Africa.

To date, it has helped operators address emissions with an estimated equivalent of 2 million tonnes of CO₂e.⁸

OGCI has also published a Satellite Methane Detection Response Playbook providing a practical six-step framework for operators responding to satellite notifications.

OGCI is extending its work in this area through its recent partnership with non-profit Carbon Mapper. This combines publicly available satellite methane data with OGCI’s peer-to-peer engagement to help operators identify and mitigate methane emissions more quickly and effectively.

“Our collaboration with OGCI will help expand and accelerate methane mitigation actions globally, taking this critical work to new heights. These efforts will reduce waste, improve air quality for communities and workers, and help stabilize our climate – whether it’s technical guidance, policy insight or reporting support.”

Riley Duren, Carbon Mapper CEO

Methane Library

For operators in markets where technical capacity is still developing, access to the right knowledge at the right time is critically important to enable methane abatement. In 2025, OGCI launched the Methane Library – a free, publicly available resource that brings together best practice and technical guidance in one searchable place.

The Library contains more than 300 resources structured around four themes: Fundamentals, Strategies, Technologies and Regulations. It draws information from leading international institutions including the UN Environment Programme’s Oil & Gas Methane Partnership 2.0, the International Energy Agency, and the World Bank, alongside regulatory bodies and academic research. Coverage spans detection technologies, measurement approaches, emissions abatement strategies and policy developments.

Recent enhancements, shaped by operator feedback, include most-viewed and recently visited content sections, a related resources function that prioritizes geographically relevant material, tools to email selected resources and sign up for updates, and transparent contributor identification with links to original sources.

Fundamentals

Strategies

Technologies

Regulations

Other initiatives

Aiming for Zero

The Aiming for Zero Methane Emissions Initiative, launched by OGCI in 2022, calls on the oil and gas industry to treat methane with the same seriousness it already applies to safety, with the goal of reaching zero and doing what is needed to get there.

Signatories to the initiative commit to aim for near zero upstream methane by 2030.

Mist tool

To help local operators and national oil companies identify and prioritize methane emissions mitigation opportunities, OGCI supported the development and wider deployment of Carbon Limits’ Mist tool that enables firms to develop a better understanding of their methane emissions inventory.

The tool is aligned with the UN’s Oil & Gas Methane Partnership reporting.

Case studies from members

See how OGCI’s members abated methane emissions and flaring at their operated assets.

Case studies from members

See how OGCI’s members abated methane emissions and flaring at their operated assets.

Case studies from members

See how OGCI’s members abated methane emissions and flaring at their operated assets.

Collaborating with OGDC

OGCI helped launch the Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter at COP28 in 2023, and acts as its secretariat. OGDC now comprises 56 signatories representing approximately 45% of global oil and gas production. OGDC’s core ambitions are closely aligned with OGCI’s: near zero upstream methane and elimination of routine flaring by 2030. In 2025, OGDC adopted OGCI’s reporting framework, using OGCI’s definitions, methodologies and KPIs.

To help scale methane emissions reductions across a broader network of companies, OGCI and its member companies provide tailored technical support and capacity building to OGDC’s signatories through webinars, mentorships and direct peer to peer engagement.

OGCI provides satellite data to OGDC signatories as part of OGCI’s Satellite Monitoring Campaign. Learnings from OGCI’s Methane Library often inform collaboration between OGCI and OGDC members.

"Partnerships are at their best when companies collaborate as well as challenge each other to drive progress in areas of mutual interest. OGCI's leadership in methane emissions reduction is a case in point"

Wael Sawan, CEO, Shell

Partnerships

OGCI supports the implementation of regulations to abate methane emissions from existing and new sources and is working with international institutions, think tanks and organizations to develop programs and tools to monitor and measure methane emissions and identify abatement potential.

OGCI engages regularly with the World Bank’s Global Flaring and Methane Reduction Partnership (GFMR) on how to best use technologies such as satellite monitoring and detection to support countries and companies to abate their methane emissions.

OGCI supported the launch of the GFMR and some of its member companies are among its anchor funders.

Looking ahead to 2030

After a decade of successful outcomes, OGCI has laid strong foundations for its next chapter: an action-oriented agenda through to 2030.

OGCI’s member companies will continue to report on emissions and strive to improve individual methane performance and measurement. On methane intensity, OGCI’s members are collectively well below 0.20% today and aiming for 0.1% collectively.

OGCI will continue to support broader industry efforts and other stakeholders such as OGDC, which can help accelerate and scale emissions reductions around the world.

The global context of today’s energy landscape highlights the importance of OGCI. Its CEOs remain committed to continuing the journey.

UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), Working Group I, Chapter 7: The Earth’s Energy Budget, Climate Feedbacks and Climate Sensitivity.
www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2025/key-findings
OGCI Performance Data for 2024.
OGCI Performance Data for 2024.
OGCI CEO statement: OGCI staying the course: continued improvement towards 2030.
See Environmental Defense Fund’s 2022 White Paper on the Certification of Natural Gas with Low Methane Emissions and the US Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law in August 2022 and OGMP2.0 FAQ.
See OGDC Charter, www.ogdc.org/oil-gas-decarbonization-charter/
If these plumes were from continuously emitting sources and were not abated, they could amount to the estimated equivalent over the course of one year. Using IPCC AR6 global warming potential over 100-year time horizon.

OGCI Methane Hub

Explore our resources, latest data, and key initiatives in methane abatement.