July 2019, Vol. 246, No. 7
Editor's Notebook
Methane Methods for ONE Future
The ONE Future coalition is a group of natural gas companies that work together voluntarily in an effort to reduce methane emissions across the natural gas supply chain. ONE Future focuses on identifying policy and technical solutions that yield continuous improvement in the management of methane emissions associated with the production, processing, transmission and distribution of natural gas. ONE Future’s original goal – to lower emissions to 1% by 2025 – was met using uniform, EPA-approved reporting protocols. The coalition registered a 2017 methane intensity number of 0.552%. According to the EIA, natural gas systems and coal mines are the major sources of methane emissions in the energy sector, but natural gas producers have reduced methane emissions by 17% since 1990 (even as production grew some 37% over the same period).
According to ONE Future, member companies represent the entire natural gas value chain and account for approximately 10% of the total natural gas production, 40% of the US natural gas transmission miles and 9% of the U.S. natural gas distribution. ONE Future companies work with each other to promote best practices and share knowledge on each company’s respective science-based, technology and methods for methane reduction. Each member company has the flexibility to deploy their capital where it will be maximally effective in reducing methane emissions. For one company that may be deploying an innovative technology, for another modifying a work practice, or another retiring an asset. To demonstrate credible and measurable results, companies participating in the coalition agree to measure their emissions and track their progress over time according to uniform, EPA-approved reporting protocols.
The latest to join the coalition is Williams. As a new ONE Future member, Williams will report its 2018 methane results as part of the gathering and boosting, processing, and transmission and storage sectors within the coalition and will hold a seat on ONE Future’s Board of Directors.
The current Board consists of Lisa Cary, Director, Environmental and Regulatory Compliance, Antero; Ken Nuepert, Vice President, Health, Safety, Security and Environmental, Apache Corporation; Matt Finnegan, Vice President, Resource Management BHE Energy Pipeline Group; Edwin Mongant, Senior Manager, Environment and Regulatory, BHP Billiton; Jeff Hansen, Director, Gas Operations, Dominion; Joe Dawley, Deputy General Counsel, Environmental, Safety and Public Policy, EQT; Amol Phadke, Vice President, Safety and Sustainability, Equinor; Anthony Webster, Head of Environmental and Regulatory Affairs, Hess Corporation; Thomas Hutchins, Vice President, Environmental, Health and Safety, Kinder Morgan; Donald Chahbazpour, Director, Gas Utility of the Future, National Grid PLC; Kate Fay, Director, Climate Program and Policy, Noble Energy; James Kibler, President, Virginia Natural Gas Southern Gas Company; Jenifer Stewart, Senior Vice President Government and Regulatory Affairs, Southwestern; Lizzy Reinholt, Director of Corporate Affairs, Summit Utilities; and Jerry Castillo, Director, US Environment, TransCanada/US Gas Operations.
ONE Future was formed when eight companies came together in 2014 with a focus to collectively achieve a science-based average rate of methane emissions across their facilities equivalent to one percent (or less) of total natural gas production. With the addition of Williams, it has grown to 17 companies and accounts for the some of the largest natural gas producers, transmission and distribution companies in the United States ONE Future members operate in 11 out of the 19 production basins and other segments of the value chain operate in multiple regions of the country, hence ONE Future’s data represent a geographically diverse and material share of the U.S. natural gas supply chain. Its members include Antero Resources, Apache, Berkshire Hathaway Pipeline Group, BHP, Equinor, EQT, Hess, Kinder Morgan, National Grid, Southern Company Gas, Southwestern Energy, Summit Utilities, TransCanada and Williams.
For more information you should visit www.onefuture.us.
Comments