Reports & Studies

Permian Basin Producers: Charting A Cleaner Energy Future 2023

From 2011 to 2022, methane intensity in the Permian Basin fell by nearly 85 percent despite production having increased by more than 416 percent. In fact, 2022 was a stand-out year for record production with the Permian producing nearly 5.4 million barrels of oil and 21.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas on average every day. From 2021 to 2022, methane intensity in the Permian fell by more than 29 percent.

Published : December 2023

Related Key Terms:

Permian Basin
Methane Emissions
Flaring
Methane Intensity
Venting

Table of Contents

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Key Findings

  • PERMIAN METHANE INTENSITY CONTINUES DOWNWARD TREND: Between 2011 and 2022, Permian Basin methane emissions intensity fell by nearly 85 percent. Since 2011, total oil and gas production in the Permian has increased by over 416 percent.
  • 2022 IN THE PERMIAN: 2022 saw the Permian reach its lowest methane intensity yet at 0.12 percent during a record production year, continuing the region’s success in producing more and emitting less.
  • PERMIAN FLARING INTENSITY DECLINED:Flaring intensity in the Permian Basin decreased by 4.5 percent from 2021 to 2022 and by nearly 66 percent since the Basin experienced record flaring in 2019. The state of Texas, where roughly 70 percent of Permian production occurs, has also seen significant decreases in flaring intensity: nearly 8 percent from 2021 to 2022 and nearly 60 percent since 2019.
  • PERMIAN CLEANER THAN GLOBAL COMPETITORS:  The Permian Basin stands apart from other global producers not only because of its prolific production but by remaining well below the flaring intensity of other global producers. In 2022, flaring intensity was 915 percent higher in Russia and 242 percent higher in Venezuela than in the Permian Basin.
  • UNITED STATES MAKING MORE FLARING PROGRESS THAN GLOBAL COMPETITORS: Of the top 10 countries by flared volumes, the United States has made the most progress in reducing its emissions. From 2019 to 2022, the United States cut flared volumes by more than half – a nearly 54 percent decrease.

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