Oil and Natural Gas Industry Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Projects
IPIECA and API have produced new guidance for oil and natural gas companies as they evaluate options for reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and registering project-level GHG emission reductions. This guidance focuses on the technical aspects of reducing GHG emissions separate from policy considerations.
Natural Gas STAR
The American Petroleum Institute is the official endorser of the Natural Gas STAR Program, a voluntary partnership between EPA and the oil and gas industry designed to cost-effectively reduce methane emissions. Together, API and Natural Gas STAR are working to promote a common goal of profitably reducing methane emissions in the oil and gas industry. The U.S. EPA’s Natural Gas STAR program plays an important role in API’s mission to work constructively for sound energy and environmental public policies. API encourages all of its member companies to take an active role in protecting the environment by participating in Natural Gas STAR. Not only will Natural Gas STAR help API members further improve operating efficiency, participation helps send a powerful message that voluntary, cooperative programs are effective at simultaneously meeting environmental goals and increasing profits. An EPA progress report on the program shows that API members have achieved methane reductions totaling 578 billion cubic feet through 2006.
Climate Change – A Progress Report
API has issued a new report that documents progress achieved by the U.S. oil and natural gas industry addressing the climate change issue. The report discusses the industry's efforts to increase energy efficiency (highlighting recent progress improving refinery energy efficiency, a principal industry goal), promote alternative energy, establish tools for estimating and tracking emissions, and help develop new energy technologies for eliminating or sequestering emissions.

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Version Date: December 2005
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Companies Address Climate Change This updates Climate Change: A Progress Report above, showing additional, often more recent actions U.S. oil and natural gas companies are taking to address the problem of climate change.
API Tools for Estimating GHG Emissions Accurate estimation of greenhouse gas emissions is indispensable to responsibly addressing climate change. Through API, the U.S. oil and natural gas industry has provided a suite of tools for estimating emissions. It includes API's compendium of emissions estimation methodologies, software for emissions estimation and inventorying, and guidelines (created by the international petroleum organization IPIECA) to assist in the accounting and reporting of emissions.
Click below to download the Compendium of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Methodologies for the Oil and Gas Industry.
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File Size: 14.7 MB
Version Date: February 2004
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API Voluntary Climate Challenge Program
Through its leading trade association, the American Petroleum Institute, the U.S. oil and natural gas industry has established a program to build on its previous work addressing climate change. The program is a positive response to the President’s challenge to American industry to reduce the intensity of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while keeping the economy growing.
API Letter to DOE Secretary Spencer Abraham on API Challenge Programs

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Version Date: January 10, 2003
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GHG Emissions Survey
API is undertaking its first annual survey of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from U.S. oil and natural gas industry operations. This is a voluntary program that will allow individual companies including API members and non-members to assess their progress managing GHG emissions and compare reductions in emissions intensity against aggregate industry performance. In the first survey round, companies are reporting their 2005 GHG emissions as well as "normalization factors" so that emissions intensity of operations can be calculated. By participating in this and subsequent surveys, companies will be able to compare their greenhouse gas emissions or emissions intensity progress against aggregate industry performance. The program will enable the oil and gas industry to assess its overall progress managing GHG emissions and demonstrate to the public the industry's commitment to addressing the climate change issue. For more information about the program, please click on the title above.
4th API Conference on Voluntary Actions Addressing Climate Change
API and the U.S. Department of Energy co-sponsored the 4th voluntary actions conference in Washington, D.C. on December 4-5, 2006. Conference speakers gave presentations on voluntary actions by the U.S. oil and natural gas industry addressing climate change.
API 3rd Voluntary Actions Conference
API’s 3rd conference on voluntary actions in Washington, D.C. in September 2004 featured 29 speakers from industry, academia and government who presented papers on voluntary efforts to reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions. In addition, 10 panelists, including representatives of non-governmental organizations, provided perspectives on the effectiveness of voluntary programs versus mandatory approaches. Participants explored public/private partnerships; operational processing techniques; advances in fuels and energy technology; carbon capture and sequestration projects; and emissions estimating and reporting. To learn more about the proceedings, please try the links below. To order a CD of the proceedings, please contact climate@api.org.
Conference Brochure
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Version Date: September 2004
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Conference Report (with summary of all presentations)
Download File Size: 3.2 MB Version Date: September 2004 OS: PC/Mac License: Free Conference Presentations
2nd API Voluntary Actions Conference
Held in Houston, TX, in November 2002, the second API voluntary actions conference showcased the oil and natural gas industry’s best practices for improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse emissions. Industry officials, academics, government and non-government organizations presented their views on CO2 capture and storage, renewable energy, gasification of fossil fuels, hydrogen power, emissions estimation and other topics. To learn more about the proceedings, please try the links below. To order a CD of the proceedings, please contact climate@api.org.
Conference Brochure
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Version Date: November 2002
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License: Free
Conference Report (with summary of all presentations)
Download File Size: 692 KB Version Date: November 2002 OS: PC/Mac License: Free Conference Presentations
1st API Voluntary Actions Conference
In December 1999 in Houston TX, API held its first voluntary actions conference where representatives from the oil and natural gas industry, government and the academic community explored efforts by the industry to reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Industry stressed the importance of taking action to address climate change. Technical presentations covered such areas as emissions estimation, operational processing techniques, carbon sequestration, automotive partnerships, research and development and alternative fuels. Please email climate@api.org for a conference synopsis.