Oklahoma City’s Devon Energy is one of 10 oil and gas companies being queried by House Committee Democrats about data on leaks of methane.
Even as she is soon to be gone as chairwoman of the House, Space, Science and Technology Committee, the same one where Oklahoma congressman Frank Lucas is the Ranking Republican, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas wrote to Devon and 9 other companies seeking the data.
In her letter to Richard Muncrief, President and CEO of Devon Energy, the congresswoman explained the purpose of the request, stating, “The United States cannot achieve its targeted reduction in methane emissions under the Global Methane Pledge without a swift and large-scale decline in oil and gas sector methane leaks.”
Johnson expressed concerns that oil and gas sector Leak Detection and Repair or LDAR programs may not be designed and equipped to comprehensively monitor and detect methane leaks.
She suggested stronger government steps might be needed.
“As a result, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is investigating whether existing LDAR programs possess the capabilities to achieve wide-ranging, quantifiable emission
reductions from oil and gas sector methane leaks, and whether additional policies and research may be required to support a stronger Federal role in monitoring, quantifying, and evaluating
methane leak emissions.”
Rep. Johnson also said Devon was one of the companies targeted because of its drilling activities in the region.
“Based upon 2020 data compiled by the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) and the Environmental Defense Fund’s PermianMAP project, Devon Energy Corporation’s (“Devon Energy”) operations in the Permian represented a significant source of methane emissions and possessed a high rate of detected emissions during aerial surveys,” wrote Johnson.
She asked for two sets of the requested records, one to be delivered electronically to the Majority staff of the House Committee and another to the Minority staff of the committee.
She wrote to 10 companies, including Coterra Energy, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Chevron.
