Chairwoman Johnson Applauds Oil and Gas Operators Joining the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0

(Washington, DC) – Last month, three major U.S. oil and gas operators – ConocoPhillips, Devon Energy, and Pioneer Natural Resources – announced their decision to join the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0. The OGMP 2.0 framework, a voluntary initiative overseen by the UN Environment Programme in collaboration with governments, environmental organizations, and oil and gas companies, represents the gold standard for methane emissions measurement and reporting in the oil and gas sector. ConocoPhillips, Devon, and Pioneer – along with Occidental Petroleum, a fourth oil and gas operator that had previously joined OGMP 2.0 – were among ten oil and gas operators that received letters from Chairwoman Johnson in December 2021 requesting information about their methane emissions and methane leak detection and repair practices. In a staff report prepared for the Committee in June 2022, the Majority Staff of the Committee noted that joining OGMP 2.0 constituted a significant opportunity for oil and gas companies to improve the accuracy and transparency of their methane emissions reporting.

 

“I commend ConocoPhillips, Devon, and Pioneer, along with Occidental Petroleum, for committing to adhere to the gold standard OGMP 2.0 methane reporting framework,” said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). “If the United States is to achieve its emission reduction targets under the Global Methane Pledge, the oil and gas sector must act aggressively to crack down on methane leaks from its operations. Transparent and verifiable reporting frameworks such as OGMP 2.0 have a valuable role to play, and the decision by these companies to voluntarily join OGMP 2.0 is an important step towards a more accurate understanding of their operational methane emissions. I urge all U.S.-based oil and gas companies to promptly join OGMP 2.0 and embrace the transparency and rigor that its reporting framework provides.”