The Scam Behind Low Emissions Gas

Fossil Fuel Companies are under enormous Public Pressure to address the Climate Crisis.

So they Repackaging Gas as “Clean Certified Gas”, where they Pay Third Parties to allegedly Measure Emissions from their Operations. The U.S. Gas Industry now Claims that up to 40% of U.S. Gas is Certified as “Responsibly Produced.”

The Claims are False. Gas Certification threatens Climate Goals by Presenting False Data that enables Gas Companies to continue Business-as-Usual, rather than face the fact that we need a Fossil Fuel Phase-Out.

Fossil Fuel Companies rarely take action to address Pollution when it is Detected.

For over 10 months, Earthworks Researchers Captured Evidence of 23 Emissions Events at Oil and Gas Well Sites in Colorado.

Only One of those Events was recorded by Industry-Operated Monitors. This Research builds on last year’s Certified Disasters report, in which on-site monitors detected none of 22 emissions events recorded by our research team.

This shows the Industry’s use of Monitors and the Monitor Technology itself, have Not Improved despite clear evidence of Major Flaws. Additional Studies cast serious Doubt on the Technology behind Gas Certification Schemes.

While Certification has grown rapidly and the Fossil Fuel Industry claims to be Reducing Emissions, Independent Estimates show U.S. Methane Emissions continue to Rise.

Furthermore, the International Energy Agency estimates that Companies Underreport their Methane Pollution by up to 95%. Meanwhile, Federal Agencies, Utilities, and Companies continue to pursue Failing Gas Certification.

In spite of a Poor Performance Record, the Oil and Gas Industry has Accelerated the Adoption of Certification and has Increasingly pressed Regulators to use Certification as a Proxy for Regulatory Oversight.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Treasury Department, and The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are considering or have already begun to Integrate Certification into Policies and Regulations.

Operators and their enablers in government are pushing for certification in voluntary international measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MMRV) frameworks³ meant to boost gas exports, lobbying to secure tax credits for hydrogen projects⁴, and attempting to influence decisions on liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminals.⁵

Some Utility Companies in the U.S. are purchasing Certified Gas, passing Premiums onto Consumers, and claiming to make Progress toward Climate Targets.

Meanwhile, in Europe, the U.S. Gas Iindustry is Increasing its Presence and using Certification as a Marketing Tool for Gas, following the EU Announcement of more Stringent Methane Regulations.

Every New Gas Well, Pipeline, LNG Terminal, and Power Plant Harms Communities and the Planet.

Reducing Methane Emissions is essential, but cannot be left to Industry to Self-Regulate. Instead, Methane Reduction must only happen under Government Oversight, and Regulation that puts Community and Consumer Protection First.

This Gas Certification, Greenwashing Scam must End, so we can Focus on what’s urgently needed, Phasing Out Oil and Gas.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker