INGAA members step up GHG commitments

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) said on November 11 its members had updated commitments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transmission and storage operations.

Having recently unveiled a new climate report, INGAA said its 27 member companies had committed to several measures to cut methane emissions from pipelines, pneumatic controllers, storage and compressor stations, as well as natural gas storage wells. The steps include undertaking surveys at transmission pipelines at least once a year in order to detect and repair leaks.

"When it comes to methane emissions, our members participate in a number of voluntary and regulatory programmes and initiatives to reduce methane emissions and work closely with regulators to identify appropriate enhancements to reduce the risk of leaks, improve detection methods and advance standard practices," INGAA CEO Amy Andryszak said.

The association's members operate over 320,000 km of gas pipelines in the US and Canada combined, representing the majority of the two countries' interstate systems. It has opposed a fee on oil and gas methane emissions that has been proposed in the Democrats' budget reconciliation bill, arguing that effective federal standards are a better way to minimise these emissions.

In its climate report, INGAA also said its members supported developing new technologies and effective practices to reduce emissions from the gas value chain, including the blending of hydrogen into existing systems, as well as information sharing. Its members are also working to reduce emissions from compressor stations and limit venting emissions.

"Our work is not finished, and our members are dedicated to continuously reviewing and improving their practices to minimise GHG emissions,” Andryszak said. “INGAA’s GHG commitments are another important step to meeting our dual goals of reducing emissions while delivering affordable energy safely and reliably to American households and businesses.”