(30e) Consistent Methodology for Addressing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the LNG Value Chain

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is expected to play an increasingly important global role in meeting the demands for low carbon fuels to supplement regional natural gas supplies. This growing demand will result in a higher throughput – and potential emissions - to liquefy, ship, store, and regasify LNG for delivery to the ultimate end-users. In addition to technological developments to optimize LNG operations it is important to develop consistent methodology to characterize key emission sources and quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with operations throughout the LNG value chain.

 The American Petroleum Institute (API) has been engaged globally for over a decade in developing guidance for GHG emissions reporting, emissions estimation and quantification of emissions reductions. API guidance is broadly used internationally by the petroleum and natural gas industry and is also adopted by governments in their GHG reporting guidelines. Over the past few years API has led an effort to compile existing data and develop specific guidance for estimating GHG emissions for the LNG operations chain. This guidance provides the tools needed to develop emission inventories for a myriad of projects and assess the GHG emissions reduction potential when utilizing LNG as a fuel.

 This presentation will focus on the content of the API guidance document that has been released recently as a ‘Pilot Draft’, and for which API is seeking comments and critique from users. The presentation will describe the relevant emissions sources and highlight key contributors to carbon dioxide and methane emissions from the LNG value chain focusing on available data as well as data gaps that require further study.