Canadian Gas Players Form Methane Management Coalition

The Canadian Gas Association (CGA) and the Canadian Energy Partnership for Environmental Innovation (CEPEI) said they have established the Canadian Methane Management Coalition (CMMC) to “build on Canada’s position as a global leader in reducing methane emissions from across the natural gas value chain”.

The coalition will bring together industry stakeholders and work to profile and support advanced methane measurement, detection, mitigation, and capture solutions that can be deployed at scale in Canada, the CGA said in a statement Thursday. The work will include the sharing of information and best practices that will “deliver the next wave of methane emission reduction”, the CGA added.

 The CMMC will build on the work of Canada’s first Emissions Testing Centre (ETC) in Alberta, an industry-led initiative with government and academic support that tests new technologies and is now emerging as a Canadian Centre of Excellence for methane technology, according to the statement.

“Methane is our core product: it is an extraordinary energy molecule delivering enormous value to Canada – affordably and reliably”, CGA President and CEO Timothy Egan said. “The Canadian Methane Management Coalition represents another step forward in our industry’s work to ensure the product is managed in the best interests of our customers, the environment, and the economy”.

“By championing the formation of a Canadian Methane Management Coalition, we unite diverse players under a common goal: to evolve the future of our natural gas value chain”, Enbridge Gas Executive Vice President and President for Gas Distribution and Storage Michele Harradence said in the statement. “Together, we are committed to continual reduction, ensuring Canada’s methane footprint diminishes with each step, echoing our dedication to a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable energy future”.

“The natural gas industry has long been dedicated to reducing methane emissions and we have been making excellent progress”, Tourmaline Oil CEO Mike Rose said. “From 2018 to 2022, Tourmaline has reduced its methane emissions intensity by 55 percent while growing our production by 89 percent. The Canadian Methane Management Coalition presents an exciting opportunity to help us go further still”.

“Through the Canadian Methane Management Coalition, we are forging a path of cooperation to build on our knowledge and understanding of methane emissions”, CEPEI Executive Director Christine Cinnamon said. “Our efforts demonstrate our dedication to continuous improvement as an industry”.

“Canada’s gas industry has been innovating to reduce methane emissions for decades, most recently through our Natural Gas Innovation Fund Emission Testing Centre (ETC)”, EGIF Capital President and CEO John Adams said. “The Coalition will help shine a light on this work and build momentum to do more”.

RNG, Hydrogen Awareness Project

Earlier, the CGA announced it received CAD 212,000 in funding from Natural Resources Canada for support on a project to improve awareness of the potential for renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen to meet Canadian energy needs.

CGA members have been developing projects across Canada using RNG and hydrogen for many years, according to an earlier statement. The CGA developed guidance documentation for the adoption of RNG over a decade ago, and a series of hydrogen projects are underway in the industry.

Under the co-funded project, CGA and its members will partner with QUEST Canada to conduct stakeholder interviews to understand industry and commercial user needs and in turn develop tailored informational content around RNG and hydrogen. Further, the project will include a series of workshops, webinars, and other activities aimed at ensuring a full understanding of what these gas energy options represent, the CGA said.

“Hydrogen and RNG are two more options in the gas energy mix that is so critical to Canada’s well-being”, Egan said. “Gas energy is the fastest growing, the most reliable and the most affordable source of energy for Canadians. The gas energy industry is committed to constant innovation in how it delivers in order to constantly improve on that value proposition, all while continuing to improve environmental performance”.

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