U.S. EPA Presents STAR Awards for Emissions Reduction Program
The U.S. federal government has recognized the “stars” in the natural gas industry.
ExxonMobil and Kinder Morgan were among the 17 companies to receive the Continuing Excellence Award for their participation in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Natural Gas STAR Program.
The program is a voluntary partnership between the EPA and the oil and gas industry. The Continuing Excellence Award, which both companies received in October, recognizes a partner’s outstanding performance over multiple years in reducing methane emissions, identifying and implementing new emission-reducing technologies and practices, and supporting the overall objectives of the Natural Gas STAR program. The Continuing Excellence Award is presented to companies that annually self report to the EPA and continually demonstrate the objectives of the program.
Neil Ryan, regulatory manager for ExxonMobil’s U.S. production operations, accepted the award on Oct. 20 in San Antonio. ExxonMobil joined the EPA’s STAR Award program in 1995. Since then, ExxonMobil has reduced methane emissions from its U.S. production operations by more than 21 billion cu ft (Bcf) — the equivalent of removing more than 1.5 million passenger cars from the road.
Over the past five years, ExxonMobil has invested more than $1.5 billion in activities that improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, the company pursues initiatives to increase its own energy efficiency in the short term; advance proven emissions-reducing technologies in the medium term; and develop breakthrough, game-changing technologies for the long term. These initiatives will reduce emissions generated by both ExxonMobil operations and consumers.
Kinder Morgan received the EPA Continuing Excellence award on Oct. 22.
“This award from the EPA demonstrates Kinder Morgan’s continued commitment to the reduction of methane emissions and we are very pleased to be once again recognized for our contributions,” says Dwayne Burton, vice president of operations for Kinder Morgan’s natural gas pipelines. “The Natural Gas STAR Program is a great
example of a program that makes good environmental and business sense, as we have been able to protect the environment and achieve operational efficiencies.”
Kinder Morgan operates over 25,000 miles of natural gas pipelines. In 2008, the company implemented several technologies and operational practices that resulted in methane emission reductions of more than 3.46 bcf.
These reductions were achieved through the installation of new electric motor driven compressors and gas turbines, using compressors to pump down pipeline sections prior to maintenance activities, implementation of directed inspection and maintenance programs and other methane emission reduction practices. The company was named the STAR Transmission Partner of the Year in 2006.
The other winners of the EPA’s Continuing Excellence Award were AGL Resources, Alliant Energy, CenterPoint Energy Minnesota Gas, ConocoPhillips, Consumers Energy, DTE Energy-MichCon, Enbridge Energy Partners, Energen Resources, Enogex, Gulf South Pipeline, Northern Natural Gas, Occidental Oil & Gas Co., Southwest Gas Corp., Western Gas Resources and Williams Production RMT Co.
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