Chevron Corp. aims to reduce the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions from its oil production by 5% to 10% over a seven-year period ending 2023 as part of an ongoing effort to combat global climate change, the company said on Oct. 3.
Chevron, part of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) along with Exxon Mobil Corp. and BP Plc, said it will also target a reduction of 2% to 5% in greenhouse gas emissions intensity from gas production over the same period.
However, Chevron's goals do not include plans to cut Scope 3 emissions or those from its customer's use of its fuels and other products.
The company said its measure of greenhouse gas intensity uses what it called equity basis, or combining direct and indirect emissions from its own production, subtracting those indirect emissions associated with electricity and steam that its operations exports, and dividing the result by production.
The method does not include customer emissions, but a spokesperson said it is willing to work with governments to address the issue.
The OGCI, formed in 2014, is a group of 13 major oil companies that account for 32% of global oil and gas production. It aims to reduce methane emissions and increase carbon efficiency. The companies have also been investing in carbon capture technology that traps carbon in caverns or porous spaces underground.
Chevron said it had so far spent more than $1 billion on carbon capture and storage projects in Australia and Canada and the investment is expected to reduce greenhouse emissions by about 5 million metric tons per year.
Earlier this year, Royal Dutch Shell said it planned to reduce carbon emissions from its oil and gas operations and product sales by 2% to 3% during the 2016-2021 period.
Shell's targets include Scope 3 emissions, unlike rivals BP and Total, which have limited their short-term targets on reducing carbon dioxide emissions to their own operations.
Energy companies are on the front line of a global transition to a low-carbon economy, with investors potentially on the hook for hefty losses if the companies do not overhaul their business models in time.
Recommended Reading
TotalEnergies Starts Production at Akpo West Offshore Nigeria
2024-02-07 - Subsea tieback expected to add 14,000 bbl/d of condensate by mid-year, and up to 4 MMcm/d of gas by 2028.
Second Light Oil Discovery in Mopane-1X Well
2024-01-26 - Galp Energia's Avo-2 target in the Mopane-1X well offshore Namibia delivers second significant column of light oil.
ONGC’s M Field Starts Production in Bay of Bengal
2024-01-09 - ONGC’s M Field represents the second phase of the larger 98/2 Block development project which is expected to reach peak production of 45,000 bbl/d and 10 MMcm/d.
Light Oil Discovery Made Offshore Namibia
2024-01-11 - Galp Energia said a significant light oil discovery was made in the Orange Basin and a drill stem test will be performed to assess the discovery’s commercial viability