1.Introduction
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions management has become an increasingly important issue for the oil and gas industry. As interest grows among industry groups, investors, and the public in understanding environmental performance, companies are placing greater emphasis on tracking and managing their emissions. One approach involves the use of GHG intensity metrics, which represent the amount of greenhouse gases emitted per unit of production. These metrics provide a way to assess operational efficiency and support broader environmental and sustainability goals. In this blog, we examine key GHG intensity metrics, strategies to reduce emissions, and how Cimarron can support companies in achieving their performance objectives.
2. Discussion of GHG Metrics Used
GHG Intensity Metric
A GHG intensity metric expresses the volume of GHG emissions released per unit of energy produced, allowing operators to standardize emissions performance regardless of scale. It is typically calculated as:
The above formula is from Clean Air Task Force/Ceres/ERM Benchmarking Methane and Other Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Oil & Natural Gas Production in the United States, June 2024.
Further clarification of formula:
- BOE = barrels of oil equivalent
- Produced Gas BOE = Natural Gas (scf) / 5,800
- 5800 scf natural gas = 1 BOE (based on 1000 BTU/scf of natural gas)
This formula accounts for the three primary GHGs adjusted by their respective global warming potentials (GWP) and normalizes the result to the total hydrocarbon production expressed as BOE.
GHG intensity metrics can be used as a valuable comparison tool, allowing benchmarking of environmental performance across different geographic regions, operational practices, and companies.
NGSI Protocol
The American Gas Association’s Natural Gas Sustainability Initiative (NGSI) provides a standardized protocol for calculating methane emissions intensity across the natural gas value chain. This supports transparency, consistency, and comparability across companies. The amount of CH4 emitted (as mass) divided by the total CH4 energy content of the produced gas.
To calculate NGSI CH4 Intensity, multiply total CH4 emissions (in metric tons) by the gas energy ratio—which adjusts for the share of energy from natural gas relative to total hydrocarbons—then divide by the product of produced gas volume (in mcf), CH4 content, and the CH4 mass conversion factor (0.0192 MT/mcf).
The CH4 emissions intensity under NGSI use the following formula:
The above formula is from Clean Air Task Force/Ceres/ERM Benchmarking Methane and Other Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Oil & Natural Gas Production in the United States, June 2024.
3. GHG and CH4 Intensity Data
Data from a June 2024 report by Clean Air Task Force/Ceres/ERM (Benchmarking Methane and Other Greenhouse Gas Emissions Of Oil & Natural Gas Production in the United States) included the following GHG and NGSI CH4 intensity metrics based on 2022 data for oil and gas production operations.
4. Why It Is Important to Meet Metrics
Achieving GHG intensity and CH4 intensity targets can provide numerous benefits for oil and gas operators. Key reasons include:
- Can be a part of a company’s program to qualify their natural gas as Differentiated Gas (aka, Certified Gas and Responsibly Sourced Gas or RSG). The GTI/Veritas is one framework used to calculate and verify CH4 emissions across various segments of the natural gas supply chain. Third party certification companies such as MiQ Standard, Project Canary (TrustWell) Equitable Origin (EO100) and CleanConnect (ProveZero), offer distinct verification frameworks designed to enhance transparency, build stakeholder confidence, and support formal accreditation.
- Regulatory compliance: Avoiding fines and production restrictions.
- Investor and ESG reporting: Enhancing attractiveness to capital markets.
- Market access: Meeting export standards and buyer requirements for cleaner gas.
- Corporate reputation: Demonstrating environmental responsibility to the public and regulators.
5. Why Voluntary Reductions Are Critical
Even beyond regulatory mandates, voluntary GHG reductions are increasingly important because:
- As the current deregulation wave continues, companies can demonstrate their dedication to waste reduction and lowering greenhouse gas emissions through voluntary initiatives.
- Advanced satellites and aerial technologies now enable near real-time detection of CH4 emissions from space.
- Aerial CH4 detection and handheld OGI CH4 detection are routinely conducted by government agencies and non-governmental organizations.
- CH4 monitoring results from satellites, aerial systems and OGI cameras are regularly reported to government agencies and on social media.
- Future regulations could incorporate direct detection data, making proactive reduction an essential risk mitigation step.
6. Ways to Reduce GHG Emissions for Metrics
Reducing GHG emissions is essential to improve intensity metrics and overall environmental performance. Operators can take a variety of actions, including:
- Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programs to promptly fix CH4 leaks.
- Vapor Recovery Units (VRUs) on storage tanks and production sites.
- Enclosed Combustors and High-Efficiency Flares to destroy vapors and minimize venting.
- Replacing high-bleed pneumatics with low- or no-emission alternatives.
- Optimizing compression and gathering systems to minimize venting and flaring.
- Electrifying site equipment where possible to reduce combustion emissions.
7. How Cimarron Can Help Companies Meet GHG Metrics
Cimarron offers a comprehensive suite of emissions control technologies and services to help oil and gas operators reduce GHG emissions and improve their GHG intensity metrics. These include:
- Vapor Recovery Units (VRUs): Cimarron designs and supplies activated carbon-based VRUs and regenerative VRUs capable of capturing vapors from storage tanks and loading operations with up to 99.9%+ efficiency, significantly reducing CH4 and VOC emissions.
- Enclosed Combustors: Cimarron’s ultra-high-efficiency enclosed combustion systems provide >98% destruction efficiency, ideal for controlling emissions from storage tanks, separators, and VRU vent streams, meeting state and EPA flare standards.
- VISR Technology: Cimarron is advancing flare performance monitoring with its innovative VISR (Video Imaging Spectro-Radiometry) technology. VISR Lite™ provides real-time visibility into key combustion metrics including Combustion Efficiency (CE), Destruction Efficiency (DE) and Flame Stability, giving operators actionable insights to optimize flare operations. Its compact and portable design makes it ideal for field use, enabling hands-on combustion testing and training while delivering immediate feedback. VISR Lite™ helps operators improve flare efficiency, reduce emissions and enhance regulatory and environmental performance.
- Field Services and Monitoring Support: Cimarron offers maintenance, optimization, and compliance support to ensure continuous high performance of vapor recovery and combustion systems, supporting reliable emissions reduction reporting.
- Custom Solutions: Cimarron’s engineering team collaborates with operators to design site-specific emissions control strategies that align with regulatory and voluntary GHG reduction goals.
8. Summary
Greenhouse gas (GHG) and methane intensity metrics are increasingly central to how oil and gas operators are evaluated by regulators, investors, and buyers. Regulatory programs, voluntary frameworks like NGSI, and market pressures to demonstrate environmental responsibility all highlight the importance of accurate emissions measurement and reduction. These metrics not only drive compliance but also enable benchmarking, transparency, and participation in differentiated gas markets.
Cimarron supports operators with proven technologies—such as vapor recovery units, high-efficiency enclosed combustors, and real-time flare monitoring with VISR™—to help achieve measurable emissions reductions and meet evolving intensity targets with confidence.
9. Conclusion
Proactively managing GHG and methane emissions is becoming a critical differentiator in the oil and gas industry. As regulatory and voluntary standards evolve, operators that invest in high-performance, verifiable emissions control strategies will be best positioned for compliance, certification, and leadership in the lower-carbon energy future.
Cimarron provides the tools and expertise to turn GHG and CH4 intensity goals into reality. By combining innovative software and hardware with field-proven reliability and support, Cimarron enables oil and gas operators to reduce emissions, meet regulatory benchmarks, and differentiate their gas in a demanding energy market.
Cimarron – Who We Are
With decades of operating history and innovation across our trusted brands, Cimarron provides technology-driven emissions management solutions for the global energy system. Our leading-edge products, services, and real-time monitoring systems reduce emissions, optimize operations, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive sustainability progress for our customers operating in oil & natural gas production, energy storage & distribution, renewables & biogas, coal mine methane, and certain industrial end markets.
Cimarron boasts a collection of well-established technologies which have been assembled and innovated from trusted industry brands. Our vast global experience, spanning tens of thousands of equipment installations, serves as a testament to our ability to achieve success in every project upon which we embark.
Cimarron is headquartered in Houston, Texas with approximately 550 employees serving our global customer base. In addition to being present in all major regions in the U.S., Cimarron operates across more than 45 countries around the world. We support our customers from sales, engineering, manufacturing, and field service locations across the United States, Italy, India, England, and the United Arab Emirates, further supported by our network of international partners.
Please contact us to learn more about our products and services and about all our solutions at sales@cimarron.com or visit our website www.cimarron.com.