Our Nation’s Energy Future (ONE Future) announced March 10 that it will commence a new awards program, The ONE Future Awards, to spotlight the companies, organizations and individuals who are positively contributing to lowering methane emissions and improving operational practices across the natural gas value chain.

The program will also help attract new talent to the sector via a first-ever scholarship program from ONE Future, to ensure that top technical talent continues to consider a career in natural gas. Hart Energy is the media sponsor of the event.

“I am thrilled to be starting 2022 with this brand-new program,” said Jim Kibler, executive director of ONE Future. “On the heels of our fourth consecutive successful Methane Intensity Report release, there’s no better time or way to leverage our emissions reduction success, than by rewarding the companies and individuals that are innovating how this industry tackles the next level of emissions reductions.”

Awards categories will include Technology of the Year (Production, Midstream, Transmission & Storage and Distribution categories), Research & Development (commercial or university), and Advocate of the Year. Additionally, five (5) $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to students who excel in their studies and plan to study engineering, computer science or public policy with a focus on the energy industry.

The ONE Future Awards website has nomination criteria, methodology and submission details. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in mid-November kicking off ONE Future’s 5th Annual Methane and Climate Workshop; location will be announced soon.

Through the efforts of coalition members, ONE Future has surpassed its one percent goal in each of the four years that it has reported its methane intensity. The 2020 Methane Intensity Report, released in November 2021, registered an intensity level of 0.424% (versus the 2025 goal of 1.0%), beating its one percent goal by 58%.

This means that methane emissions by coalition members consisted of only about one-third of one percent of all natural gas produced and delivered, demonstrating that the natural gas industry can minimize methane emissions and increase production and throughput while supplying much needed energy to the U.S. and around the globe for years to come.