Home / Environment / Canada Targets Methane: New Oil & Gas Rules Unveiled
Canada Targets Methane: New Oil & Gas Rules Unveiled
16 Dec
Summary
- New regulations ban methane releases and establish leak inspection schedules.
- Industry can propose alternative compliance meeting international standards.
- Landfill methane reduction expected to cut 100 million tonnes of GHGs by 2040.
The Canadian government is introducing new regulations aimed at reducing methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas, from the oil and gas industry and landfills. These measures, announced by Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin, include a ban on venting methane and an inspection schedule for detecting leaks. This policy marks a significant addition to Canada's climate action.
While the regulations target significant emission reductions, they also provide operators with an option to design their own compliance strategies, provided they meet specific methane intensity thresholds aligned with leading international voluntary programs. This approach offers more flexibility to the industry, which had previously found earlier proposals too stringent.
Beyond the oil and gas sector, new rules for landfills will require monitoring and capture of methane from organic waste. These combined efforts are projected to cut millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, contributing to cleaner air and conserving energy resources.
