GAS FLARING – A new study finds that oil and gas companies are significantly under-reporting how much natural gas they burn off into the air in Texas. “Flaring” happens in oilfields when there’s not enough space in pipelines to get the natural gas to markets.
Texas A&M researcher Katherine Willyard found the amount of flaring federal government satellites capture is about double the amount companies report to the state. She says that’s because state rules overlook some parts of the oil and gas process where flaring happens.
“It’s more of a structural issue and not a corporate
negligence or any wrongdoing by the companies," explained Willyard. "It’s more related to how the rules and regulations require companies to report venting and flaring.”
Flaring is linked to air pollution and global warming. It can also mean lost profit for oil and gas companies.
