If there's one thing that petro-states know it's that honesty never pays. In fact, honesty almost always costs and sometimes the costs can be huge.
And, yes, by petro-states I mean Alberta, Saskatchewan and our federal government. They're incorrigible.
Alberta has been caught out underestimating methane leaks from the province's oil wells. Underestimating by about half.
New research suggests industry and government are badly underestimating Alberta's emissions of one of the most potent greenhouse gases.
The difference between official estimates and the measured results suggests the province's energy industry could have to double its planned methane emission cuts if Alberta is to meet its promised 45 per cent reduction.
Currently, industry is only required to report how much methane is released during flaring and venting. So-called fugitive emissions from equipment such as leaky valves have only been estimated.
That same heavy oil technique is widely used elsewhere in Alberta, including the Peace River, Cold Lake and Athabasca regions.
4 comments:
A very trusted source told me that very few environmental guidelines have been adhered to out in the oil-fields, ever. 'Fugitive emissions' are the least of it.
Self reporting? Ya, we know how that works. There is almost zero oversight.
The 'Tragedy of the Commons' writ large.
.. Provincial governments aside & especially BC Alberta Saskatchewan..
Any federal government that has failed to recognize this issue
or nodded and winked winked as big energy companies
folded empty wells or pretended they were still delivering..
deserves to have this legacy stapled to their foreheads
Let me know when you hear the word(s) methane or methane escape
cross the lips of one of our elected or unelected public servants
I've heard the same thing from former oil patch workers who have now returned to Vancouver Island, NPoV. They seem to come back with a bagful of horror stories.
It never seems to be up for discussion, does it Sal? I'm pretty sure that's why they don't dare dwell on climate change either lest it get people asking questions they don't want to have to answer.
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