State air regulators will be taking a closer look this year at methane emissions from Colorado's oil and gas industry. Methane intensity is being measured in nine counties on the Front Range, including Weld, Boulder, and Larimer.
Officials say the measurements will help the state meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
The Colorado Sun Editor Lance Benzel joined KUNC's Michael Lyle, Jr.
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"This is a really important step in Colorado's plan to reduce methane emissions," said Benzel. "Back in 2021, Colorado became the first state in the U.S. to approve rules tying oil and gas production to methane production. That means, basically, that companies that don't produce a lot of oil and gas will not be permitted to produce a lot of emissions. And that's that's the nut of the methane intensity rule."
Benzel said gas and oil companies are expected to reduce emissions as part of Gov. Jared Polis' push to achieve 100% net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
"(Oil and gas) operators are required to meet the state's greenhouse gas reduction targets or they'll face penalties," said Benzel. "It could affect their ability to continue operating if they don't meet them. The way it works is, under the methane intensity rule oil and gas operations are limited to a certain level of methane emissions per barrel of oil and gas equivalent. And we will see even tighter emissions limits for new operations starting in Colorado during that period."
in the atmosphere and is also known to be a powerful greenhouse gas.
shows the oil and gas industry is the third largest source of greenhouse gases in Colorado. It accounts for 60% of all the methane emitted in the state.
Benzel said this will mark the first time state regulators have attempted to add up all the methane emissions being generated by the industry.
