CAPP says conventional producers reduced emissions by 24%

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), representing 80% of Canadian oil and gas production, said August 31 the conventional sector of the industry reduced absolute Scope 1 CO₂-equivalent emissions by 24% between 2012 and 2021 while growing total production by 21%.

Using the most recently available data from the federal government, CAPP’s analysis shows that Canadian natural gas production rose by 35% over the 10-year period, while CO₂ emissions fell by 22%. Over the same period, natural gas producers reduced methane emissions by 38%.

Conventional oil production, meanwhile, fell by 9%, while CO₂ emissions from production dropped by 27%.

Overall, conventional producers have driven down methane emissions from natural gas and oil production by 34% and methane emissions intensity by 46%, CAPP’s analysis shows.

Scope 1 emissions from natural gas, condensate and natural gas liquids (NGL) production were reduced to 50mn tonnes in 2021 from 64mn tonnes in 2012, CAPP’s analysis shows, while Scope 1 emissions from oil production were reduced to 26mn tonnes from 36mn tonnes. Methane emissions from natural gas, condensate and NGL production were cut to 15mn tonnes from 25mn tonnes, while methane emissions from oil production were reduced to 15mn tonnes from 23mn tonnes.

“When we talk about growing Canada’s role as a responsible provider of natural gas and oil to the world, emissions performance is one of those measures,” CAPP CEO Lisa Baiton said. “Canada’s conventional producers are demonstrating we can grow energy production to address energy security while also lowering emissions.”

With its track record of lowering emissions while increasing production, the Canadian oil and gas industry should be the supplier of choice for the world’s energy needs, Baiton said. “As long as the world needs oil and natural gas, Canada’s barrels should be a part of that supply.”

Data used by CAPP includes the federal government’s National Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and production data from Statistics Canada. Conventional production refers to all oil and natural gas production outside of Alberta’s oil sands.