Consistent guidelines, methodologies and tools for estimating greenhouse gas emissions in the petroleum industry

Abstract

This chapter presents the Industry Guidelines, the American Petroleum Institute (API) Compendium, and the calculation tool as parts of an overall guidance of how to develop a consistent, meaningful estimate of emissions from petroleum industry operations. The API Compendium represents a compilation of recognized methodologies providing guidance for consistent estimation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions specific to oil and natural gas industry operations. It presents and illustrates the use of preferred and alternative calculation approaches for CH4 and CO2 for all common emission sources, including combustion, point, non-point, non-routine, and indirect sources. The chapter focuses initially on emission estimation methods for CO2 and CH4, as the most significant GHG emissions from petroleum industry operations. The objectives of the development process were to produce voluntary guidelines for the Oil & Natural Gas industry on measuring and reporting GHG emissions. These guidelines aim to be reliable, efficient, cost effective, comparable, and employ industry endorsed methods. Since reliable inventories are fundamental for all GHG management schemes, the Industry Guidelines together with the API Compendium were designed to assist member companies in their management and reporting of GHG emissions, regulatory compliance, and participation in other voluntary or mandatory schemes such as the US DOE 1605(b) Registry, the EU Emissions Trading, or the Canadian Voluntary Climate Challenge, just to name a few.