Why do we want to reduce methane emissions?

Methane is a greenhouse gas and increased concentrations of methane in the atmosphere contribute to climate change. Reducing methane emissions from oil and gas operations is recognized as one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gases.

Energy companies are doing their part to conserve emissions through gas capture, combustion and leak detection and repair program improvements. But some natural gas is still lost during normal operations.

The provincial and federal governments have set targets for reducing methane emissions from upstream and venting oil and gas operations. The Government of B.C. has a reduction target of 75 percent by 2030, relative to 2014 levels and near elimination by 2035, while the Government of Canada has set a reduction target of 75 per cent by 2030, relative to 2012 levels.

What are we doing about methane emissions?

We have developed methane emission regulations to address the primary sources of methane from B.C.’s upstream oil and gas industry, which are:

• Pneumatic devices
• Equipment leaks
• Compressor seals
• Glycol dehydrators
• Storage tanks
• Surface casing vents

Regulations include methane emission reporting requirements for oil and gas operators.

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We conduct 4,000 to 5,000 inspections a year on oil and gas infrastructure and if unauthorized or “fugitive” methane emissions are found, companies are required to address them.

As part of B.C.’s efforts to achieve equivalency with federal methane emission reduction regulations, the BCER has introduced a Public Request for Investigation Form. If you suspect a non-compliance with the BCER's methane regulations, complete the Request for Investigation Form.

In 2018, both the federal and the B.C. governments released methane emission reduction targets for the oil and gas sector. The federal target was a 40-45 per cent reduction by 2025, compared to a 2012 baseline. While the B.C. target was a 45 per cent reduction by 2025, compared to a 2014 baseline. B.C. published regulations in 2020 with requirements that were phased in over time, to achieve these methane reduction targets.

Amended methane regulations came into effect Jan. 1, 2024. The BCER approved further amendments to the methane regulations, which will be effective Jan. 1, 2025 and phased in over time. The regulations were developed to help the province meet the CleanBC methane reduction target of 75 per cent by 2030 (compared to a 2014 baseline) for the oil and gas sector and near elimination of all industrial methane emissions by 2035.

This made-in-B.C. approach was developed, along with the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and the Climate Action Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, with input from environmental groups, industry and Indigenous Nations. Summaries of what we heard through the regulatory engagement program can be found here.

Ongoing collaboration and engagement respecting methane regulations, combined with research learnings, helps ensure B.C. is a global leader in climate action. More information regarding methane research can be found further down this page.

Equivalency

The government of B.C. and the BCER have worked closely with the federal government on an equivalency agreement, resulting in the standing down of the federal methane regulations in B.C., given their equivalency to the B.C. regulations.

On April 4, 2019, the Government of Canada published Notice with respect to the availability of an equivalency agreement in the Canada Gazette.

An Order Declaring the Provisions of the Regulations Respecting Reduction in the Release of Methane and Certain Volatile Organic Compounds (Upstream Oil and Gas Sector) Do Not Apply in British Columbia: SOR/2020-60 and an accompanying Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, were published on April 15, 2020. This Order will expire in March 2025.

A draft Order Declaring that the Provisions of the Regulations Respecting Reduction in the Release of Methane and Certain Volatile Organic Compounds (Upstream Oil and Gas Sector) Do Not Apply in British Columbia, 2025 and an accompanying Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement were published on June 29, 2024. This Order is proposed to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025 and expire Dec. 31, 2029.

As an obligation of the current equivalency agreement, B.C. is required to provide annual status reports. The reports can be found here:

Methane Equivalency Reports

Name	Date Published
2022 Methane Equivalency Report	Feb 12, 2024
2021 Methane Equivalency Report	Mar 15, 2023
2019 Methane Equivalency Report	Feb 1, 2022
2020 Methane Equivalency Report	Jan 17, 2022

The Leak Detection and Repair data can be found in the BCER Data Centre.

What's next?

We will continue working with industry, government and environmental organizations to further our understanding of methane emissions and how best to manage and reduce its release from oil and gas operations.

Methane Research

The BC Oil and Gas Methane Emissions Research Collaborative (MERC) is comprised of representatives from:

• BC Energy Regulator
• Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
• Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation
• Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
• Explorers and Producers Association of Canada
• Geoscience BC
• Pembina Institute

The MERC identifies research needs related to informing methane emissions reductions in B.C.’s oil and gas sector and supports the completion of research projects, through coordination of a research plan.

The MERC collaborative members work to share technical and regulatory knowledge and information on related research and funding, to improve research efficiencies and broaden scientific understanding of methane emission sources, detection and measurement methods and emission reduction and control technologies.

Information on past projects completed under the MERC framework can be found on the BC Oil and Gas Research and Innovation Society (BC OGRIS) website.