US oil sector champions methane controls

Biden administration hopes to fast-track emission restrictions, a popular measure among many large-cap operators

The US oil patch is getting behind a Democrat effort to reimpose regulations on methane emissions. Operators including ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, Total, US independent Occidental Petroleum and Norway’s Equinor all back reinstating limits. Former president Donald Trump revoked regulations last year, despite disapproval among many major operators. But after a year of poor revenue returns, companies waking up to ESG investor concerns and a new president pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by up to 52pc by 2030, emission controls are again an urgent matter.   The shale patch hopes natural gas will serve as an important bridging fuel for the energy transition—especially given forecasts