Citing the energy security provided by the current high levels of U.S. oil and natural gas production, the Obama Administration has announced plans to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40-50 percent (from 2012 levels) by 2025 – a move intended to address climate change and reduce the effects of pollutants on health.
Methane – the primary component of natural gas – is a potent greenhouse gas, with 25 times the heat-trapping potential of carbon dioxide over a 100-year period.