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U.S., Canada Pledge To Lower Methane Emissions In Oil And Gas sectors

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Here is President Obama yesterday.

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BARACK OBAMA: Canada's joining us in our aggressive goal to bring down methane emissions in the oil and gas sectors in both of our countries. GREENE: Cutting methane emissions by 40 to 45 percent over the next nine years. That is the president's latest effort to curb greenhouse gasses. And let's learn more about methane emissions from NPR's John Burnett. JOHN BURNETT, BYLINE: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and the largest component of natural gas. The world's largest industrial source of methane is the oil and gas industry. It's no surprise, then, that the biggest contributor of methane to the atmosphere is the nation's energy behemoth, Texas. That's why I've come to the Karnes County airport in the vast Eagle Ford shale field south of San Antonio to meet up with Michael Mayfield. He's a leak detection specialist contracted by the advocacy group Environmental Defense Fund. MICHAEL MAYFIELD: We're about to take off in a helicopter and go survey the oil fields that surround here for methane leaks. BURNETT: Our little blue chopper streaks over a bleak landscape of mesquite, scrub oak and deer blinds. The view is punctuated by oil and gas installations that suck hydrocarbons out of the earth and store them in great cylindrical tanks.

MAYFIELD: OK. So we spotted a leak, so we're going to go ahead and orbit this. BURNETT: A technician sitting next to me points an infrared camera at a battery of tanks. In the monitor, you can clearly see methane gushing from a vent in one of the tanks. Methane leaks are bad news. First, the company would rather capture it and sell it. Second, the gas can be toxic to nearby cattle at high concentrations. Third, methane contributes to global warming.

The Environmental Protection Agency now begins developing strict rules to require the oil and gas industry to reduce methane leaks, not just in the future but from thousands of existing sources, like oil wells, pipelines, flare stacks and tank vents. Kyle Isakower, with the American Petroleum Institute, complained that the industry was already reducing methane emissions without the heavy hand of Obama's EPA. He told reporters in a conference call that these new regulations will inevitably drive up the cost of energy.

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KYLE ISAKOWER: While we don't have a dollar figure, we can only assume that the economic impacts of regulating existing wells is going to be massive. BURNETT: The EPA asserts these methane controls are a response to new data that puts annual releases of methane at nine million tons a year - a lot more than previously thought. The new information came from several sources, including the Environmental Defense Fund. Its president is Fred Krupp.

FRED KRUPP: The emissions are substantially higher than anyone knew. So we're thrilled that the president and EPA have decided to move rapidly to regulate existing source emissions. BURNETT: The EDF says new rules will likely require oil and gas companies to conduct more frequent leak detection. They may end up hiring the same Texas crew that I flew with that discovered a methane plume coming out of a storage tank - a leak the company was completely unaware of. John Burnett, NPR News, Austin.

U.S., Canada Pledge To Lower Methane Emissions In Oil And Gas sectors USA und Kanada verpflichten sich zur Senkung der Methanemissionen im Öl- und Gassektor Les États-Unis et le Canada s'engagent à réduire les émissions de méthane dans les secteurs du pétrole et du gaz EUA e Canadá comprometem-se a reduzir as emissões de metano nos sectores do petróleo e do gás 美国、加拿大承诺降低石油和天然气行业的甲烷排放

DAVID GREENE, HOST: DAVID GREENE, GASTGEBER:

Here is President Obama yesterday. Hier ist Präsident Obama gestern.

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BARACK OBAMA: Canada's joining us in our aggressive goal to bring down methane emissions in the oil and gas sectors in both of our countries. GREENE: Cutting methane emissions by 40 to 45 percent over the next nine years. GREENE: Die Methanemissionen werden in den nächsten neun Jahren um 40 bis 45 Prozent gesenkt. That is the president's latest effort to curb greenhouse gasses. Dies ist der jüngste Versuch des Präsidenten, die Treibhausgase zu reduzieren. And let's learn more about methane emissions from NPR's John Burnett. Und erfahren Sie mehr über Methanemissionen von John Burnett von NPR. JOHN BURNETT, BYLINE: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and the largest component of natural gas. JOHN BURNETT, BYLINE: Methan ist ein starkes Treibhausgas und der größte Bestandteil von Erdgas. The world's largest industrial source of methane is the oil and gas industry. Die weltweit größte industrielle Methanquelle ist die Öl- und Gasindustrie. It's no surprise, then, that the biggest contributor of methane to the atmosphere is the nation's energy behemoth, Texas. Es ist daher keine Überraschung, dass der größte Methan-Beitrag zur Atmosphäre der Energie-Gigant der Nation, Texas, ist. That's why I've come to the Karnes County airport in the vast Eagle Ford shale field south of San Antonio to meet up with Michael Mayfield. Deshalb bin ich zum Flughafen von Karnes County im riesigen Eagle Ford-Schieferfeld südlich von San Antonio gekommen, um mich mit Michael Mayfield zu treffen. He's a leak detection specialist contracted by the advocacy group Environmental Defense Fund. Er ist ein Leckagespezialist im Auftrag der Advocacy Group Environmental Defense Fund. MICHAEL MAYFIELD: We're about to take off in a helicopter and go survey the oil fields that surround here for methane leaks. MICHAEL MAYFIELD: Wir werden gleich mit einem Hubschrauber abheben und die umliegenden Ölfelder auf Methanlecks untersuchen. BURNETT: Our little blue chopper streaks over a bleak landscape of mesquite, scrub oak and deer blinds. BURNETT: Unser kleiner blauer Häcksler streift über eine trostlose Landschaft aus Mesquite, Gestrüppeiche und Hirschrollos. The view is punctuated by oil and gas installations that suck hydrocarbons out of the earth and store them in great cylindrical tanks. Die Sicht wird durch Öl- und Gasanlagen unterbrochen, die Kohlenwasserstoffe aus der Erde saugen und in großen zylindrischen Tanks lagern.

MAYFIELD: OK. So we spotted a leak, so we're going to go ahead and orbit this. Wir haben also ein Leck entdeckt, also gehen wir weiter und kreisen dies. BURNETT: A technician sitting next to me points an infrared camera at a battery of tanks. BURNETT: Ein neben mir sitzender Techniker zeigt mit einer Infrarotkamera auf eine Tankwanne. In the monitor, you can clearly see methane gushing from a vent in one of the tanks. Im Monitor ist deutlich zu sehen, wie Methan aus einem Abzug in einem der Tanks strömt. Methane leaks are bad news. Methanlecks sind schlechte Nachrichten. First, the company would rather capture it and sell it. Erstens würde das Unternehmen es lieber einnehmen und verkaufen. Second, the gas can be toxic to nearby cattle at high concentrations. Zweitens kann das Gas in der Nähe von Rindern in hohen Konzentrationen toxisch sein. Third, methane contributes to global warming. Drittens trägt Methan zur globalen Erwärmung bei.

The Environmental Protection Agency now begins developing strict rules to require the oil and gas industry to reduce methane leaks, not just in the future but from thousands of existing sources, like oil wells, pipelines, flare stacks and tank vents. Die Environmental Protection Agency beginnt nun mit der Entwicklung strenger Regeln, nach denen die Öl- und Gasindustrie nicht nur in der Zukunft Methanlecks reduzieren muss, sondern aus Tausenden von bestehenden Quellen wie Ölquellen, Pipelines, Fackelstapeln und Tankentlüftungen. Kyle Isakower, with the American Petroleum Institute, complained that the industry was already reducing methane emissions without the heavy hand of Obama's EPA. Kyle Isakower beklagte sich mit dem American Petroleum Institute, dass die Industrie die Methanemissionen bereits ohne die schwere Hand von Obamas EPA reduziert. He told reporters in a conference call that these new regulations will inevitably drive up the cost of energy. Er sagte Reportern in einer Telefonkonferenz, dass diese neuen Vorschriften die Energiekosten unweigerlich erhöhen werden.

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KYLE ISAKOWER: While we don't have a dollar figure, we can only assume that the economic impacts of regulating existing wells is going to be massive. KYLE ISAKOWER: Wir haben zwar keinen Dollarwert, können aber nur annehmen, dass die wirtschaftlichen Auswirkungen der Regulierung bestehender Brunnen massiv sein werden. BURNETT: The EPA asserts these methane controls are a response to new data that puts annual releases of methane at nine million tons a year - a lot more than previously thought. BURNETT: Die EPA behauptet, diese Methankontrollen seien eine Antwort auf neue Daten, die die jährliche Freisetzung von Methan auf neun Millionen Tonnen pro Jahr erhöhen - viel mehr als bisher angenommen. The new information came from several sources, including the Environmental Defense Fund. Die neuen Informationen stammen aus verschiedenen Quellen, darunter dem Environmental Defense Fund. Its president is Fred Krupp. Ihr Präsident ist Fred Krupp.

FRED KRUPP: The emissions are substantially higher than anyone knew. FRED KRUPP: Die Emissionen sind wesentlich höher, als jeder wusste. So we're thrilled that the president and EPA have decided to move rapidly to regulate existing source emissions. Wir sind begeistert, dass der Präsident und die EPA beschlossen haben, die bestehenden Emissionen der Quellen rasch zu regulieren. BURNETT: The EDF says new rules will likely require oil and gas companies to conduct more frequent leak detection. They may end up hiring the same Texas crew that I flew with that discovered a methane plume coming out of a storage tank - a leak the company was completely unaware of. Sie könnten am Ende die gleiche texanische Crew einstellen, mit der ich geflogen bin, als sie eine Methangasfahne aus einem Lagertank entdeckten - ein Leck, von dem das Unternehmen keine Ahnung hatte. John Burnett, NPR News, Austin. John Burnett, NPR-Nachrichten, Austin.