RMI’s Five Oil & Gas Myths Regarding Methane Emissions: Since Gas Waste Drops When Prices are High, They Say Companies Capture Methane for Profit When it Benefits Them

    This article from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) explains some aspects of methane emissions reductions in the oil & gas sector that are often misunderstood.

Myth 1: In terms of pollution from methane emitted during production, all oil and gas is the same. Some oil & gas fields emit more methane than others. Associated gas from oil wells is often deemed too expensive to produce along with the oil, so it is vented or flared, which results in methane and CO2 emissions, respectively.

Myth 2: Gas leaks are minimal and not too costly. Methane can leak from several different points in oil & gas systems, including valves and controllers, condensate tanks, flanges, poorly maintained flares, and during blowdowns of pressurized compressors. Much more gas can be recovered than is currently recovered due to economics. They estimate Texas is losing $1 billion in annual revenue due to methane leakage.

Myth 3: Gas loss and methane emissions are inevitable and impossible to prevent. They state that gas loss or methane emissions are largely preventable, and the technology exists to capture that gas today. The most interesting section of this article is the graph below that shows how gas flaring and methane venting rise and fall with natural gas prices. When prices are high, more gas is recovered, and when prices are low, more gas is wasted. That clearly suggests that some companies are not doing all they can to minimize methane emissions.

Myth 4: Gas is natural and clean. They are not quite correct here. Gas is indeed natural. It often contains impurities, and some can be toxic, like hydrogen sulfide. Gas often needs to be processed from its field or natural form into a pipeline-quality product. Dry gas is generally clean and requires minimal processing. Thus, they are not quite correct here.

Myth 5: Gas supplies are reliable and prices are certain. This is true, of course. However, some regional gas prices are more predictable than others, and some supplies are more reliable than others. Geopolitical global price shocks have occurred, but some regions are protected by abundant and available low-priced gas and are less affected by global events.

References:

 

Reality Check: Clearing the Air on Methane: Five persistent oil and gas myths, busted. Deborah Gordon, Nathan Kauffman, Colm Quinn, and Laurie Stone. Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). July 13, 2026. Reality Check: Clearing the Air on Methane - RMI