Media releases

The oil and gas industry’s role in tackling climate change will be a major focus at IP Week 2019, taking place in London 26-28 February, Energy Institute Chief Executive Louise Kingham OBE FEI said today.

Speaking in advance of the conference, and as she signed the EI up as a supporting organisation to the Methane Guiding Principles, Louise said:

“We’ve put sustainability at the heart of IP Week 2019 so there’ll be no dodging carbon, methane or climate change.

“The main players in oil and gas are now very open to scrutiny on these issues, and the EI is excited to have convened an event which will put the industry’s efforts to move further and faster in the spotlight.

“As a global partner to the energy industry, the EI is working to equip professionals for the big changes ahead. That’s why we’ve today formally become a supporter of the Methane Guiding Principles and will use every opportunity to raise awareness of the need to bear down on this potent greenhouse gas.

“While oil and gas are among the causes of the climate change challenge, I’m encouraged that this industry - and the amazing scientists, engineers and innovators within it – can be central to the transformational solutions needed.”

Features of the IP Week 2019 programme include:

• Senior industry figures – including Chad Holliday (Chairman, Royal Dutch Shell plc), Bob Dudley FEI (CEO, BP plc) and Amin Nasser (CEO, Saudi Aramco) - will set out their perspectives on the energy transition and their strategies for change.
• A full day of the conference will be devoted to the energy transition and the industry’s role in tackling climate change, including sessions chaired by Prof Jim Skea CBE FEI, member of the Committee on Climate Change and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
• Collective efforts to reduce fugitive methane emissions from gas production will be outlined by Dr Pratima Rangarajan, CEO of Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) Climate Investment.

Emissions of methane during oil and gas production are a serious contributor to climate change. It is 28–36 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2 over 100 years.

Today, the EI announced that it has become a supporting organisation to the Methane Guiding Principles. Developed collaboratively by a coalition of industry, international institutions, non-governmental organisations and academics, the Principles focus on continually reducing methane emissions; advancing strong performance across gas value chains; improving accuracy of methane emissions data; advocating sound policies and regulations on methane emissions; and increasing transparency.

They were signed in November 2017 by eight companies; since then a further 10 companies have become signatories, and 10 organisations have pledged their support to the Principles.  

Mark Radka, Head of UN Environment’s Energy and Climate Branch, said:

“Numerous scientific studies have shown how important it is to quickly reduce methane emissions so we can meet growing demand for natural gas while achieving climate change and clean air goals. We’re delighted that the Energy Institute has become a supporting organisation to the Methane Guiding Principles. It can help extend the spirit and application of the Principles throughout the natural gas value chain.” 

In becoming a supporting organisation, the EI wants to use its independent position at the heart of the energy sector to raise the profile of the issue among its professional members, partners and customers, for the public good.

Research conducted last year by the EI found more than 80% of international oil and gas professionals surveyed were unaware of the extent of the possibilities to tackle the methane problem.

Notes for editors

1.For more information contact Nick Turton at nturton@energyinst.org or 020 7467 7103.

2.The full IP Week 2019 programme can be found at www.ipweek.co.uk. A limited number of media passes are available - those interested should contact Neil Michie at nmichie@energyinst.org or 020 7467 7132.

3.More detail on the Methane Guiding Principles can be found at http://www.ccacoalition.org/en/resources/reducing-methane-emissions-across-natural-gas-value-chain-guiding-principles

4.The EI’s Future of Gas report is at https://knowledge.energyinst.org/collections/future-of-gas

5.The Energy Institute (EI) is the chartered professional membership body bringing global energy expertise together.

We gather and share essential knowledge about energy, provide the skills that are helping us all use it more wisely, and develop the good practice needed to keep it safe and secure.

We articulate the voice of energy experts, taking the know-how of around 20,000 members and 250 companies from 120 countries to the heart of the public debate.

And we’re an independent, not-for-profit, safe space for evidence-based collaboration, an honest broker between industry, academia and policy makers.

6. Read Louise's blog on why she wants to see Methane discussed alongside carbon dioxide at IP Week 2019 at https://blog.energyinst.org/2019/02/19/methane-leakage-is-putting-long-term-role-for-natural-gas-at-risk/