Natural gas and industry innovation continues to help drive US GHG emissions reductions

WASHINGTON, October 17, 2018 – API issued the following statement regarding EPA’s release of data from Greenhouse Gases Reporting Program report today, which continues to show a downward trend in GHG emissions even as U.S. oil and natural gas production grows dramatically.

“The United States leads the world both in natural gas and oil production and in cutting GHG emissions—clean natural gas produced through advanced technologies like hydraulic fracturing is playing a significant role in driving carbon dioxide emissions to 25-year lows,” said API Senior Director of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Howard Feldman. “Americans have the cleanest air in decades due in part to the increased use of natural gas to generate electricity, demonstrating that environmental protection and economic growth are not mutually exclusive.

“The natural gas and oil industry has invested more than double the next highest industry sector in zero- and low-emissions technologies - since 2000 - to deliver the affordable and reliable energy we need while protecting human health and the environment and industry’s initiatives, highlighted by programs such as The Environmental Partnership, will further environmental progress.”

API will review the EPA data, comments are due to the EPA on November 15, 2018.

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the natural gas and oil industry, which supports 10.3 million U.S. jobs and nearly 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 600 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 47 million Americans.