Methane emissions measurement insights from an Offshore Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification study

Abstract

Tackling methane emissions, from fossil fuel operations, represents a viable near and medium-term opportunity for limiting the effects of climate change. Various methane measurement technologies can be deployed to detect, localise and quantify methane emissions. These insights inform targeted methane mitigation activities and provide a credible basis for methane emission disclosure through reporting frameworks. Woodside Energy has taken actions to measure and reduce its methane emissions profile and is developing a pathway to embed available measurements technologies. As a signatory to the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative’s ‘Aiming for Zero’ initiative, these actions will also support Woodside Energy’s responsibility to communicate mitigation activities and meet the transparency expectations of its stakeholders. Offshore oil and gas operations’ safety, logistical and technical challenges impact the selection of technologies used for methane emissions measurement. In 2024, Woodside Energy completed a study, at our Shenzi platform in the Gulf of Mexico, to evaluate the performance of methane measurement technologies through a field deployment trial. The study considered a variety of technologies such as satellite, aerial, drone and handheld devices, results from which will also support the development of a longer-term measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification strategy. This paper will outline the technology’s performance relative to measurement objectives including (i) the identification of mitigation projects, (ii) the alignment with reporting frameworks, and (iii) the potential for ongoing cost-effective deployment. It also provides an overview of the attributes of the technologies and the insights gained through their field deployment.