Accelerated Methane Reduction
Designing a future interdisciplinary and shared research agenda to understand the role of methane reduction in the energy transition
Designing a future interdisciplinary and shared research agenda to understand the role of methane reduction in the energy transition
As the world confronts an energy transition, the global energy system is being re-imagined and the role of methane reduction in that transition is not entirely clear. Governments are pursuing increasingly ambitious initiatives to reduce methane emissions and diversify their energy systems. At the same time, the world is facing significant energy demand growth from emerging and developing economies. The dual pressures of reducing their carbon footprint, while also providing the necessary resources to fuel energy growth creates another layer of complexity for the oil and gas industry.
Mines and the world
The Payne Institute extends to public policy Mines’ conviction that energy and the environment must– and can – fruitfully coexist. We are in an enviable position to tap into a deep well of on-campus and alumni leaders in industry and environmental groups around the world. We foster collaboration with a focus on problem-solving rather than furthering entrenched agendas.
COLORADO
Colorado has been at the forefront of establishing regulations for the oil and gas industry and working in a coherent inclusive manner between the industry and other stakeholders. That form of broad engagement based on science should continue. It will serve to both evolve the discussion in the state and at the local level, but also serve as a lodestar for the national and global discussion.
For more information about the Accelerated Methane Reduction Initiative at the Payne Institute for Public Policy, please contact our Deputy Director, Gregory Clough, at gclough@mines.edu.
NEWS
A path to US Tribal energy sovereignty 1/23/2025
A path to US Tribal energy sovereignty
The Payne Institute Native American Mining and Energy Sovereignty (NAMES) Initiative and co-writers look at Native American Tribal lands that are extraordinarily rich with energy and mineral resources. A rapidly changing energy system, increasing energy demand, and energy-related national security imperatives present Tribes with a generational economic opportunity. January 23, 2025.
A new frontier in the voluntary carbon market: Old, leaky oil wells 1/16/2025
A new frontier in the voluntary carbon market: Old, leaky oil wells
Payne Institute Energy Finance Lab Director Brad Handler contributed to this article about how over the last two years, developers have generated roughly 5 million carbon credits from cleaning up orphaned oil and gas wells. If disused wells remain unplugged — the term of art for closing them up with concrete and remediating the environment around them — they can leach toxic chemicals and spew planet-warming methane into the air. January 16, 2025.
The 2025 Economic Report of the President
The 2025 Economic Report of the President
A Payne Institute article from Fellow Alex Gilbert, Director Morgan Bazilian, and Samantha Gross titled “The Emerging Global Natural Gas Market and the Energy Crisis of 2021-2022” was cited in the 2025 Economic Report of the U.S. President. January 10, 2025.
Mines professor working to slow methane leaks in natural gas production
Mines professor working to slow methane leaks in natural gas production
Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Dorit Hammerling co-founded Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab (EEMDL) to directly implement processes to detect and stop natural gas leaks, and to provide accurate data and modeling on the greenhouse gas emissions occurring across energy supply chains. January 9, 2025.
BP’s largest terminal in Azerbaijan hit gas-flaring record in 2024
BP’s largest terminal in Azerbaijan hit gas-flaring record in 2024
Payne Institute Earth Observation Group provided the flaring data for BP’s largest terminal in Azerbaijan, Sangachal, which flared record-breaking amounts of gas in 2024 with their VIIRS Nightfire service. This data is based on Suomi NPP satellite imagery gathered by NASA/NOAA/US Defence Department, which uses infrared imaging to detect gas flaring. January 9, 2025.
Why it might be hard for Trump to reverse Biden’s offshore oil ban
Why it might be hard for Trump to reverse Biden’s offshore oil ban
Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is featured on this podcast about how Joe Biden has promised to ban drilling in more than 600 million acres off the coast of the western U.S. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has promised to undo the ban, as well as much of Biden’s climate and conservation efforts. Thing is, this one might be a little trickier to reverse, because Biden can make this declaration thanks to a 70-year-old law called the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. January 7, 2025.
Colorado’s leadership on reducing methane more important than ever 12/18/2024
Colorado’s leadership on reducing methane more important than ever
Erin Tullos, Stephen Curry, and Payne Institute Accelerated Methane Program Manager Simon Lomax write about how in the wake of the 2024 election, federal officials are expected to reassess the nation’s approach to energy, environmental and climate policy. Colorado’s expertise in regulating methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, will continue to play a critical role on the national and global stage. In fact, Colorado’s continued leadership on methane may be more important now than ever before. December 18, 2024.
Can we please have a nuanced discussion of development and fossil fuels? 12/13/24
Can we please have a nuanced discussion of development and fossil fuels?
Payne Institute Fellow Todd Moss writes about how he was quoted in a New York Times piece that presents a pernicious strain of black-or-white thinking about climate and poverty. It’s pernicious both because it’s widespread and because it’s false: The real debate on climate and poverty is not 100% renewables now vs climate deniers. And while posing these two extremes as the only choices for global development might make good clickbait, it’s terrible for civil discussion or constructive policymaking. If we’re going to make faster progress on clean energy development, we need to call this false binary out. December 13, 2024.
Five Bipartisan Actions on Energy Security as Trump Returns to the White House 12/4/2024
Five Bipartisan Actions on Energy Security as Trump Returns to the White House
Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian, Accelerated Methane Program Manager Simon Lomax, and Roger Pielke, Jr. write about how Republicans and Democrats can meet in the middle on the complex set of issues that comprise energy policy – from emissions, to affordability, to reliability, to national security and geopolitics. In fact, for almost two decades, the U.S. has been a global energy leader, even as power has shifted back and forth between the two major political parties. December 4, 2024.
Trump energy pick wrote ESG report hailing oil, gas, downplaying climate worry 11/22/2024
Trump energy pick wrote ESG report hailing oil, gas, downplaying climate worry
Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributed to this article about how mainstream science conflicts with many opinions of the incoming top U.S. energy official, who will likely be zealous to carry out Trump’s agenda, maximizing already record-high domestic oil and gas production and withdrawing from international cooperation to avoid catastrophic climate change. November 22, 2024.