Improvements Needed in EPA Efforts to Address Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Distribution Pipelines

In 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that methane leaks from pipelines in the natural gas distribution sector accounted for more than 13 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. These leaks are comprised of natural gas product, which is almost 100 percent methane, and account for more than 10 percent of total methane emissions from natural gas systems. The EPA has placed little focus and attention on reducing methane emissions from pipelines in the natural gas distribution sector. In 2012, the EPA stated its intent to continue to evaluate the appropriateness of regulating methane. The 2013 Climate Action Plan calls for the EPA, in conjunction with other federal agencies, to develop a comprehensive interagency strategy to address methane emissions. The EPA does not currently regulate methane emissions from the distribution sector and has not partnered with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which regulates pipeline safety, to control methane leaks. The EPA has a voluntary program to address methane leaks—Natural Gas STAR—but its efforts through this program have resulted in limited reductions of methane emissions from distribution pipelines. This is due largely to financial and policy barriers, including disincentives for distribution companies to repair nonhazardous leaks. The agency needs to address additional issues to better assess progress from the voluntary program and determine if future regulations are warranted. The EPA needs to set goals and track its progress in reducing emissions from distribution pipelines through its voluntary program. Also, the EPA needs to evaluate data from ongoing external studies to determine their usefulness for validating or updating its distribution pipeline emission factors. The emission factors that the EPA uses are based on a 1996 study, which has a high level of uncertainty. Two non-EPA groups are conducting studies that may be useful to the EPA. However, the EPA’s involvement in the design or protocols of these studies has been limited.

• Record URL:
  http://www.epa.gov/oig/reports/2014/20140725-14-P-0324.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Environmental Protection Agency

  Office of Inspector General
  Washington, DC    20460
• Authors:
  • Beusse, Rick
  • Good, Kevin
  • Hauck, Erica
  • Jones, Richard
• Publication Date: 2014-7-25

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 37p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Leakage; Methane; Natural gas pipelines; Pollutants; Recommendations; Regulations
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
• Subject Areas: Environment; Pipelines; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01538308
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 14-P-0324
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 25 2014 9:00AM