Discussions about climate change are front and center. In the last decade, the United States has become the biggest producer of oil and natural gas. Oil and gas production continues to create jobs and provide countless economic benefits. But from an ecological standpoint, the emissions from the oil and gas industry are among the biggest drivers of climate change.

That fine balancing act is one of the reasons why climate change has become so politically complex. On the one hand, oil and gas production benefits the economy. But on the other, it actively hurts the push to save the planet. Is it possible for oil and gas companies to stop creating carbon emissions?

Stricter Regulations

Stricter regulations are paving the way to positive change. Many companies already use a carbon reporting platform, but many activists push for more accountability. In addition to considering air and water pollution, the push for new rules on methane emissions and flarings may be the solution we need.

Methane emissions come from natural gas. When emitted into the atmosphere, it has up to 36 times the warming power of carbon dioxide. Meanwhile, flaring is the process of burning natural gas when there's no infrastructure or incentive to separate it from gas at the wellhead. Flaring has less impact than methane emissions, but it's wasteful and still produces carbon emissions.

Many believe stricter regulations on methane emissions and flaring could be a viable solution to reduce carbon emissions. Companies can use carbon reporting software to track and manage emissions. In turn, companies can sharpen their decarbonization strategies.

Capturing and Offsetting Emissions

Stricter regulations and widespread adoption of a carbon reporting platform can make a big difference. However, it's unlikely that oil and gas companies will stop producing carbon emissions entirely. Heavy transportation and industry will still require fossil fuels, resulting in emissions. But the industry can still evolve to adopt a more climate-conscious approach.

Instead of phasing out fossil fuels entirely, the industry can focus on capturing and offsetting emissions. The key is finding ways to produce fossil fuels as cleanly as possible, sharing methodologies and adopting better regulations to increase accountability.

Author Resource:-

Emily Clarke is providing info about a single platform for your oil and gas software solutions. You can find her thoughts at oil supply chain software blog.