Jonah Energy is aiming to more precisely measure its methane emissions. The oil and gas development and exploration company operating in Sublette County is making the effort as a way toward reducing the problematic greenhouse gas emission.
"While monitoring is good, and reporting is good, measurement is a real commitment by an organization," said Jonah Energy CEO and President Tom Hart.
The commitment comes as a part of Jonah's recent membership to the United Nations Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP), the first U.S. company to do so. OGMP is an initiative of the UN Environment Program and Climate and Clean Air Coalition. It's looking to create a credible platform to help member companies demonstrate actual emissions reduction.
Manfredi Caltagirone, interim head of UNEP's International Methane Emissions Observatory, commended Jonah on being the first U.S. company to join the OGMP reporting framework.
"The framework is the highest standard of methane reporting in the oil and gas industry and has a performance element that focuses on reduction approaches, technology advancement and policy development, aiding the oil and gas industry in achieving deep, transparent reductions in mineral methane emissions," he said in a press release.
Right now, the technology to precisely measure methane emissions is considered young. Jonah's CEO Hart said the company has estimates of emissions based on engineering calculations, but will have to go further to understand exact volumetric measurements.
Jonah is scheduled to receive a Gold Standard emissions rating, predicated on establishing a pathway to verified emissions measurement.