EPA’s Voluntary Methane Programs for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry
Industry Partnerships
Since 1993, EPA has partnered with oil and natural gas operators to encourage the identification and implementation of technologies and practices to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. Through the Natural Gas STAR Program, EPA hosts workshops and webinars, shares technical resources, and directly partners with oil and gas operators. EPA hosted the Natural Gas STAR partnership beginning in 1993 to provide a forum for industry partners to share their innovative and voluntary actions to reduce methane emissions; in 2022, at a time of unprecedented action on oil and gas methane emissions in the US, EPA transitioned the Natural Gas STAR Program to end the formal partnership while retaining the information-sharing aspects of the program. EPA continues to partner with oil and gas operators through the Methane Challenge Partnership.
Methane Challenge Partnership
Learn about the ambitious commitments Partners are making and find information on how to join the Methane Challenge Partnership
Legacy Natural Gas STAR Partnership
Learn about nearly 30 years of methane reductions and technology transfer through the legacy Natural Gas STAR Partnership
Program Resources
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Mitigation Technologies
View technologies to mitigate methane emissions
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Technical Presentations
View technical presentations from Natural Gas STAR events
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Videos About Methane Emissions
View videos about methane emissions in the oil and gas industry
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Outreach and Events
View upcoming and recent events sponsored by the Natural Gas STAR Program
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Oil and Gas Industry Overview
Learn about the natural gas industry as well as methane emissions from the industry
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Equipment and Service Provider Directory
View a list of equipment and service providers that can facilitate methane emission reductions from oil and gas operations
Why Focus on Methane?
- Methane is a potent greenhouse gas 25 times more powerful than CO2 in trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year period.
- Methane is a primary constituent of natural gas, an important energy source.
- Taking steps to reduce methane emissions reduces operational risk, increases efficiency, and demonstrates company concern for the environment, with benefits spanning from climate change to air quality improvements.
To learn more about methane, visit EPA's Overview of Greenhouse Gases page. For more information about methane emissions in the natural gas industry, see the Annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks sections on Natural Gas Systems.
