Methane Emissions From The Fossil Fuel Industries Of The Russian Federation

Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University Institute for Sustainable Energy, Boston University

July 22, 2022

Methane emissions are second only to carbon dioxide emissions as a major driver of human-induced climate change. Moreover, reduction of the rate of methane emissions is the fastest and least disruptive way to moderate global temperature rise over the next several decades. The production of fossil fuels - principally coal, oil, and natural gas – is an important source of anthropogenic methane. As one of the world’s most important producers of fossil fuels, and one of the most important emitters of fossil fuel methane, the Russian Federation should play an important role in methane mitigation efforts. However, the Federation’s own estimates of methane emission intensity vary greatly from year to year and are at variance with estimates of international data collection and research institutes. As a result of a recent series of large reductions in methane emission estimates, the self-reported methane emission intensity of the Russian Federation oil and gas industry is now less than comparable self-reports of the United States. If taken at face value, this would make Russia a preferred provider of oil, gas, and petroleum products to importers sensitive to the upstream greenhouse gas emissions of their suppliers. Satellite- based national-level estimates of Russian methane emissions are available, but the error bars are very large, and attributions to specific economic sectors are unreliable. Satellites are more reliable in characterizing plume events, but the measurements are insensitive and only account for a small fraction of total emissions. Coal mine methane emissions are easier to characterize but harder to remediate than emissions from oil and gas sources. In order for Russia to play a constructive role in climate change mitigation, quantitative information about the state of emissions is required. Monitoring systems should be introduced, and prudent mitigation measures should be widely implemented. While many mitigation measures are simple and inexpensive, regulations should recognize that some solutions need to be adapted to local conditions. Because Russian practices of methane emission reporting and remediation are broadly representative of those of most other oil-, gas-, and coal-producing nations, the recommendations presented here have global application.