Oil & Gas Hid Methane Truths for Years

Decades-old industry documents indicate that oil and gas companies have long known about higher-than-publicly-reported methane emissions from their operations. The Center for Climate Integrity analyzed these files, including a 1979 report commissioned by the American Gas Association's research arm, which detailed significant leaks from U.S. gas fields.

Despite these internal findings, the industry publicly downplayed concerns over methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Documents show that as natural gas faced competition, industry groups launched advertising campaigns to position it as a clean fuel. Companies like Shell and BP state they are now focused on reducing methane emissions.

Historical research, including a 1966 Shell study and a 1968 American Petroleum Institute report, noted substantial methane releases from oil fields and atmospheric methane potentially originating from gas fields. By the 1970s, concerns about gas appliances as indoor pollution sources were also emerging.

In response to growing awareness, the industry, through public relations firms like Hill & Knowlton, initiated campaigns such as "Gas, clean energy for today and tomorrow" in 1972. However, internal statements, like one in 1990 from a BP executive, acknowledged that leaks likely limited gas's environmental benefits more than proponents expected.

Later, a joint 1996 study by the gas industry and the EPA concluded methane emissions were negligible. Critics argue this study relied on small samples and self-reported data, leading to a severe undercounting of actual methane emissions, a sentiment echoed by researchers stating, "the more you look, the more you find."