Nigeria has been commended for making history with the issuance of its methane guidelines to reduce corrosive emissions from its oil and gas industry. Records show that the country is the first in Africa to do so.
The country is believed to have released the document at the ongoing 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP27, at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt..
While commending the documentation, Clean Air Task Force (CATF), a US based, global organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change, noted that Nigeria’s methane guideline regulations were derived from the best practices around the world.
They include requirements for companies to act on three critical areas: implement leak detection and repair measures on its oil and gas infrastructure;
Install flares with high destruction efficiency in order to reduce the impact of leaked or vented methane; and establish controls on devices that are designed to vent or require their replacement with zero emissions equipment.
CATF noted that Nigeria has set an example in helping the globe reduce methane emissions to slow down climate change. “Nigeria has shown great leadership on methane at COP27, giving the world a concrete example of the kinds of action necessary to slash methane emissions and bend the curve on climate change,” said Jonathan Banks, global director of CATF’s Methane Pollution Prevention program.
According to the release from CATF, Nigeria is turning ambition into action on methane. “We sincerely hope that other nations will step up and follow its lead.”
Last year at COP26, the U.S., UK and EU launched the Global Methane Pledge, an international commitment to collectively reduce methane emissions 30% by 2030. To date, more than 120 countries – including Nigeria – have joined the Global Methane Pledge, making it the largest display of ambition ever to reduce methane emissions.
The Global Methane Pledge has generated tremendous momentum on methane, with countries around the world raising their ambition. Nigeria is the latest country to turn ambition into action.
CATF confirmed that it started its engagement in Nigeria in 2019 with support of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and established collaboration with ministries of environment, and petroleum resources.
The global organisation further confirmed that through capacity building workshops, and small working groups, the collaboration with the Nigerian government worked to improve the national inventory for methane emissions and to set the stage for policy development.
“As a result of this partnership, in 2021, Nigeria included a specific methane target for the oil and gas industry in the 2021 update of its Nationally Determined Contribution calling for a 61% reduction in methane emissions in the oil and gas sector,” Jonathan Banks said
The CATF director stressed that throughout 2022, his organisation worked closely with the new regulatory bodies, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to develop comprehensive standards to control methane emissions.
Now at COP27, the NUPRC has published its Methane Guidelines which aim to dramatically reduce emissions in the upstream oil and gas industry.
Over the coming year, CATF will work with the Nigerian government to build capacity and overcome barriers to effective implementation of the regulations. And we will be seeking to replicate Nigeria’s success around the globe.
Methane is a harmful super pollutant that warms the planet more than 80 times more than carbon dioxide over its first 20 years in the atmosphere. It’s responsible for about half a degree Celsius of global warming so far, and its levels are rising fast. Due to its short-lived nature, reducing methane emissions is one of the best strategies available to slow global warming in the near term. Learn more about CATF’s work to reduce methane emissions.
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