Your Partner in Improving Operational Efficiency,
Saving Money, and Reducing Emissions
What is Natural Gas STAR?
atural Gas STAR is a flexible, voluntary partnership
I that encourages oil and natural gas companies—
I both domestically and abroad—to adopt proven,
cost-effective technologies and practices that improve oper-
ational efficiency and reduce methane emissions. Methane
is the primary component of natural gas and is emitted as a
result of oil production and in all aspects of the natural gas
industry, from drilling and production, through gathering
and processing to transmission and distribution.
In 2006, Natural Gas STAR expanded to include interna-
tional operations, significantly increasing opportunities to
reduce methane emissions from oil and natural gas opera-
tions worldwide.
Why is Reducing Methane Emissions
Important?
Oil and natural gas operations are the largest man-made
source of methane emissions. Methane emissions account
for 2 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the
United States and are a significant source of global meth-
ane emissions, constituting approximately 16 percent of
total man-made greenhouse gas
|H^^M emissions. Given methanes
role as a potent greenhouse
gas and the primary com-
ponent of natural gas, reducing
these emissions can have significant
environmental and economic benefits.
By working together with the Natural Gas
STAR Program to prevent methane losses,
I i EPA and the oil and natural gas industry are
•i conserving natural gas resources, generating
additional revenue, generating additional do-
mestic energy supply, increasing operational
efficiency, and making positive contributions
to the environment at large.
"Our mission is simple: to
reduce methane emissions
collaboratively and in a cost-
effective manner using the lat-
est technologies and practices.
Reduced methane emissions
mean more natural gas to
market, greater energy security
for our nation, increased rev-
enue for partners, and reduced
greenhouse gas emissions."
— Roger Fernandez,
U.S. EPA Natural Gas STAR,
Team Leader
"We are pleased and proud that
many of our member compa-
nies are part of the Natural Gas
STAR Program. Participating in
the Program makes sound busi-
ness sense. The data has clearly
shown positive results in reduc-
ing greenhouse gas emissions,
demonstrating that voluntary,
cooperative programs are an
effective tool to simultaneously
meet environmental goals and
put more natural gas into the
market for consumers."
-William Whitsitt,
American Exploration &
Production Council, President
NaturalGas
EPA POLLUTION PREVENTER
Join Natural Gas STAR
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What are the Benefits to Participating in Natural
Gas STAR?
Created through consensus and collaboration with industry advisors, the
Natural Gas STAR Program, in conjunction with its partner companies,
serves as a credible and trusted resource for oil and natural gas companies
interested in reducing methane emissions. By working together to reduce
methane emissions, EPA and Natural Gas STAR partners are successfully
improving performance, increasing natural gas supply, saving money, and
protecting the environment.
Participation in the Natural Gas STAR Program has the following key benefits:
• Information Sharing and Technology Transfer—EPA facilitates
Technology Transfer and Annual Implementation Workshops and
publishes detailed Lessons Learned Studies and Partner Reported Op-
portunities (PRO) Fact Sheets; technical reports and studies; annual
partner summary reports; and a quarterly newsletter to help partners
learn about new and innovative technologies and practices.
• Program Assistance—Natural Gas STAR offers a full range of Pro-
gram support and technical assistance to partners. Through such
services as project- and operational-level analyses, technical work-
shops, and administrative Program support, EPA provides guidance
that helps partners reap the full economic and environmental benefits
of reducing methane emissions. The Natural Gas STAR team includes
technical experts from all sectors of the oil and natural gas industry, as
well as communication and outreach professionals.
• Peer Networking—Partners can participate in Technology Transfer
Workshops, Annual Implementation Workshops, and Web-based
communications to build strong networks with industry peers and
keep up on industry trends, initiatives, and the latest technologies.
• Voluntary Record of Reductions—Through Program participation
and reporting, companies create a permanent record of their voluntary
Every greenhouse gas has a global warm-
ing potential (GWP)—the measure of its
ability to trap heat in the atmosphere
relative to C02. Methane is referred to as
a potent greenhouse gas because it has
a GWP of 23. This means that methane is 23 times more powerful than
C02 at trapping heat in the atmosphere.
"Participating in the Natu-
ral Gas STAR Program is a
simple yet powerful way for
Northern Natural Gas to cre-
ate a permanent record of the
cost-effective methods to avoid
methane emissions. There are
many facets to our program:
an implementation plan that
guides our participation, an in-
formation database that stores
the methods of avoiding meth-
ane emissions and ensures
accurate data, and a reporting
plan that allows Northern to
communicate its accomplish-
ments to outside sources.
Northern—a MidAmerican
Energy Holdings Company-
operates under its corporate
environmental RESPECT policy
of Responsibility, Efficiency,
Stewardship, Performance,
Evaluation, Communication and
Training. Participation in the
Natural Gas STAR Program is
an extension of its corporate en-
vironmental RESPECT policy."
— Rick Loveless,
Northern Natural Gas,
Greenhouse Gas Manager and
Natural Gas STAR
Implementation Manager
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accomplishments in reducing methane emissions. In addition, annual
reporting allows EPA to provide post-reporting feedback to partners
through individual detailed summary reports.
• Public Recognition—EPA provides recognition, honors, and distinc-
tions to highlight partner achievements at an annual awards ceremony,
in articles in the Program newsletter and industry journals, public
service announcements, and technical studies and fact sheets. EPA
also helps partners communicate Program achievements to sharehold-
ers, customers, and the public.
How Does the Natural Gas STAR Program Work?
Becoming a Natural Gas STAR partner and participating in the Program
involves the following steps:
Step 1 - Sign a One-Page Memorandum of Understanding
This important step initiates the Partnership, demonstrates the company's
commitment to the Program, and identifies company points of contact.
By signing this voluntary MOU, the company is signifying its intent to
evaluate current and future voluntary activities that reduce methane
emissions, implement them when feasible, and report these activities to
EPA on an annual basis. MOU forms for each oil and natural gas industry
sector and international companies are available online.
Step 2 - Develop an Implementation Plan
Natural Gas STAR Implementation Plans facilitate development of a strategy
for how partners will identify non-regulatory methane emission reduction
activities they are already undertaking, plan new activities, and develop
mechanisms for tracking methane emission reduction data such that this
information can be submitted annually to the Natural Gas STAR Program.
Natural Gas STAR partners are making
a difference! In 2006 alone, partners
reduced methane emissions by approxi-
mately 86 billion cubic feet (Bcf)—equiva-
lent to removing approximately 7.5 million
cars from the road for one year or 28.9 million acres of pine or fir forests
storing carbon for one year. This added more than $600 million to natural
gas sales (based upon an average gas price of $7.00 per thousand cubic
feet). Since 1993, the Program has helped realize more than 577 Bcf of
methane emissions reductions.
"At Devon, we are committed
to protecting the environment
and being a good neighbor in
communities where we live and
work. That's why we joined
EPA's Natural Gas STAR Pro-
gram in 2003. Since we began
participating in the Program,
we have reduced our methane
emissions over 27 billion cubic
feet. Since 1990, we have
reduced methane emissions
by over 31 billion cubic feet.
To put that into perspective,
that is enough natural gas to
heat over 450,000 homes for a
year. Further, the reduction of
greenhouse gases is equivalent
to planting 3.8 million trees or
taking 2.75 million cars off the
road for a year. Emission reduc-
tion is an important part of
being an environmental stew-
ard, and we are proud to be
associated with a project of this
magnitude."
—Steven O'Connell,
Devon Energy,
Central Division EHS Supervisor
and Natural Gas STAR
Implementation Manager
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Companies develop this plan within 6 to 12 months of joining. Partner ap-
proaches to developing an Implemetnation Plan vary. To provide guidance to
partners and to minimize the administrative burden, Implementation Plan
Forms are available online and Natural Gas STAR staff can provide any neces-
sary assistance.
Step 3 - Execute the Program
The Implementation Plan provides a roadmap for how partners will actu-
ally execute the Program within their company. The Natural Gas STAR
Program is available to provide assistance needed in identifying and pri-
oritizing technologies and practices based on company-specific circum-
stance. However, to reap the full benefits of participation, it is ultimately
up to partners to implement these cost-effective technologies and practic-
es and continue to expand on their methane emission reduction activities.
Step 4 - Submit an Annual Progress Report
After one full calendar year of participation in the Program, partners be-
gin submitting annual reports documenting the previous year's emission
reduction activities and corresponding methane emissions reductions.
Natural Gas STAR offers convenient reporting options. Partners can
choose between submitting data via the easy Online Reporting System,
using hardcopy annual reporting forms, or using their own custom for-
mat. To provide guidance to partners, EPA Natural Gas STAR Program
Managers and STAR Service Representatives can assist as necessary.
By participating in the Natural Gas STAR Program, partners dem-
onstrate leadership in their field by implementing cost-effective
technologies and practices that improve operational efficiency,
reduce the emissions of methane, increase natural gas supply,
save money, and protect the environment. Additionally, through
Program participation, partners create a credible record of their
voluntary accomplishments and receive EPA recognition.
For detailed information on the Natural Gas STAR Program,
key components and benefits of participation, and technical
resources available, visit epa.gov/gasstar.
EPA430-F-08-011
August 2008
As part of the Annual Natural Gas
STAR Implementation Workshop,
EPA publicly recognizes partners
in the following categories:
Distribution Partner of the Year
Gathering and Processing
Partner of the Year
Production Partner of the Year
Transmission Partner of the Year
Continuing Excellence
For a complete list of Natural Gas STAR
Award Winners, visit epa.gov/gasstar/
newsroom/awardwinners.html.
EPA Natural Gas STAR
Program Managers:
Jerome Blackman
blackman.jerome@epa.gov
Phone: (202) 343-9630
Carey Bylin
bylin.carey@epa.gov
Phone: (202) 343-9669
Roger Fernandez
fernandez.roger@epa.gov
Phone: (202) 343-9386
Suzie Waltzer
waltzer.suzanne@epa.gov
Phone: (202) 343-9544
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