Reducing methane emissions
Shell is a leader in methane emissions reduction. We test and use the latest technologies to monitor our emissions, and we work with others to share our learnings and drive industry-wide action.
What is methane?
Methane (CH4) is the primary component of natural gas. Natural gas plays a critical role in the global energy transition, and can help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions when it replaces coal in power generation and industry, and oil in transport.
However, methane itself is a potent greenhouse gas. While it stays in the atmosphere for a shorter time than CO2, it traps far more heat. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates methane’s global warming potential is 30 times greater than CO2 over 100 years and more than 80 times greater over 20 years.
This makes reducing methane emissions one of the most effective near-term actions to keep the more ambitious 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement – to limit the rise in global average temperature this century to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels – within reach.
Where do methane emissions come from?
Around 60% of global methane emissions come from human activities such as agriculture, oil and gas production, and landfill waste decomposition, according to the latest Global Methane Budget, while the remaining 40% occur naturally, mainly from wetlands.
The main sources of methane emissions from oil and gas operations are:
Venting
The intentional release of gas into the atmosphere, often necessary for safety or maintenance. It can also occur routinely from devices such as pneumatic controllers or storage tanks that are designed to vent gas.
Incomplete flaring
Flaring occurs when gas that cannot be used or sold is burned to convert it into CO₂ and water. If some of this gas is not fully combusted, it can escape into the atmosphere as methane.
Combustion equipment
Gas-fired equipment, such as engines and turbines, that are used to produce energy may contain small amounts of methane slip in their exhaust due to incomplete combustion.
Fugitive emissions
Unintentional leaks of gas from equipment such as faulty seals, leaking valves, or improperly sealed components. They can occur across production and processing equipment, storage tanks, and pipelines.
Our target is to maintain methane emissions intensity below 0.2% and achieve near-zero methane emissions on an intensity basis by 20301.
Total methane emissions from assets under Shell operational control were reduced by 78% between 2016 (138,000 tonnes) and 2025 (31,000 tonnes).
In January 2025, we eliminated routine gas flaring from our Upstream operated assets – five years ahead of the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative, of which we are a signatory.
How is Shell reducing methane emissions?
Transparent and enhanced reporting
Robust measurements provide actionable insights to reduce methane emissions where it matters most. As a founding signatory of the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0 framework – which requires signatory companies to report methane emissions for both operated and non-operated ventures that contribute to the top 95% of their total emissions – Shell is committed to enhanced accuracy and transparency on methane emissions.
We use advanced measurement technologies to quantify methane emissions more precisely and strengthen the quality of our reporting, which earned Shell the OGMP 2.0 Gold Standard in both 2023 and 2024.
Our methane emissions measurement and reduction initiatives also deliver wider benefits, including lower operating costs, improved equipment performance, and reduced safety risks.
Turning data into action
Insights from our OGMP 2.0 measurement programme help us focus on the most impactful opportunities to reduce methane emissions. These include:
- Enhancing leak management: Identifying equipment most prone to leaks, engineering them out of future processes, and prioritising their monitoring in leak‑detection programmes to enable repairs.
- Improving flaring efficiency: Replacing worn flare tips to improve combustion efficiency and maintain optimal performance.
- Strengthening operational controls: Maintaining our equipment for peak performance, keeping flares continuously lit, and managing maintenance to minimise methane flaring and venting.
- Addressing intermittent sources: Deploying drones to detect leaks and emissions from areas such as produced water ponds, relief valves, and vents, enabling swift targeting and repair.
Methane abatement technologies
We use a range of technologies and work practices to detect, monitor, measure, and reduce methane emissions across our operations. These include:
Leak detection and repair (LDAR)
We use optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras, which visually detect methane releases, and high-flow samplers, which measure flow rate and methane concentration, to identify and quantify leaks, enabling targeted repairs.
Continuous monitoring
We are testing networks of fixed-point and long-range beam sensors that provide continuous, wide‑area monitoring of methane emissions. These systems help us track intermittent releases and give early warning of leaks.
Python Emission Localisation and Quantification (pyELQ)
Our open‑source AI tool uses methane concentration and wind data to detect, locate, and quantify emissions. We work with technology partners to integrate pyELQ into emerging continuous monitoring solutions.
Drone and aircraft surveys
We use drones, manned aircraft, and mobile labs to measure emissions across entire sites, including remote and offshore locations.
Satellite monitoring
We use data from public and commercial satellites to identify large methane releases worldwide. The data is used to support OGMP 2.0 reporting and to inform mitigation and investment strategies.
Shell methane reduction initiatives
Pearl GTL
Pearl GTL, Shell’s gas-to-liquids plant in Qatar, converts natural gas into high-quality liquid fuels, lubricants, and chemical feedstocks – a process that requires significant energy and can generate emissions. To address this, Pearl launched a multi-year flaring reduction programme. The team upgraded catalysts at the plant for more efficient chemical reactions, improved reactor start-up and shutdown procedures to minimise flaring, and replaced natural gas with nitrogen for purging of the flare system. They also introduced real-time monitoring so operators can respond quickly to emerging issues and implemented direct leak detection and repair (LDAR) to identify and quantify leaks. By 2025, flaring had decreased by 87% compared to 2015, and methane emissions had fallen by 99% over the same period.2
Industry collaboration
We believe collaboration is key to reducing methane emissions across the industry. Shell works with governments, industry, and civil society to share best practices and inform effective policies through initiatives such as OGMP 2.0 (see above) and:
Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI)
Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC)
The World Bank Global Flaring and Methane Reduction (GFMR) Partnership
Footnotes
Footnotes
1. Methane intensity is measured separately for oil and gas assets with marketed gas (gas, LNG and GTL available for sale) and assets without marketed gas (oil and gas assets where gas is reinjected).
2. Based on the methane reporting guideline at OGMP level 3.
3. The vast majority of BC Hydro’s power is generated is through hydroelectric facilities, along with a small portion from other clean sources like wind, solar and biomass.
Cautionary Note
Cautionary Note
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Shell’s net carbon intensity
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Shell’s net-zero emissions target
Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our combined Scope 1 and 2 target, NCI target and our oil products ambition over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.
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