When ONE Future started in 2014, it was seven companies that came together with an idea to reduce emissions to 1.0% or less by 2025, to ensure the future of natural gas as a foundational fuel. Since then, our membership has increased more than seven-fold and we are now more than 50 members strong.
We began reporting our emission intensity in 2017 and our members have exceeded our goal in each of the years that we have reported. This latest report shows that our methane intensity, based on 2020 data, was less than one half of one percent. In other words, our members are 99.58% efficient in delivering a molecule of gas from the rig to the burner tip. Natural gas plays a critical role in providing much-needed energy to nearly 179 million Americans every day. It is a key driver in fueling our country’s economy; and its demand will not diminish, even in a net-zero carbon economy.
Natural gas powers more than half of the country’s commercial buildings and is the largest source of reliable electricity generation – 38%. Natural gas is plentiful, affordable, reliable, and clean; the growing use of natural gas in the U.S. has reduced the nation’s methane emissions and lowered household heating and cooking costs. The lower cost and more reliable our energy is, the more competitive every American company is, lowering the cost of living for every American.
While natural gas is critical to our way of life, we realize that our emissions must remain low to ensure its sustainability long-term. ONE Future’s results show that a performance-based approach works, today and tomorrow. We believe industry can further lower emissions as well as energy costs when energy policy makers don’t pick winners and losers. An “all of the above” policy would result in lifting restrictions on fracking and much needed pipelines would be constructed.
The natural gas industry is one of the safest, innovative, and essential industries in the world, but we must do a better job in conveying this message to the public. I encourage everyone that reads this report to reach out to your colleagues, friends and neighbors and share the highlights of the report to let people know that the natural gas industry is doing the right thing to ensure that our product is safe, clean and cost efficient, and that it’s something that Americans can’t do without.
Gathering & Boosting – Methane Intensity of 0.042% vs. goal of 0.080% – beating goal by 47%.
Nine net new G&B member companies.
ONE Future G&B member companies represent approximately 38% of the total U.S. natural gas production in CY2020.
Overall G&B throughput increased 53% from CY2019 to CY2020.
Technology and Methodology for reducing emissions:
Implemented voluntary LDAR programs to identify and fix equipment leaks.
Replaced high-bleed natural gas pneumatic devices.
Included pneumatic controllers in existing LDAR surveys using Optical Gas Imaging cameras.
Replaced natural gas operated pumps with electrically operated glycol pumps
Programmed compressor unit controls to reduce pressure prior to venting.
Maximized utilization of compressors to optimize combustion performance and fuel efficiency.
Continuous monitoring of operational parameters to quickly identify issues.
Improved piping design to eliminate direct venting during compressor blowdowns.
Full recovery of dehydration still vent low pressure gas stream (post Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene (BTEX) recovery) using vapor recovery units (VRU).
Installed electrical driven compressor units.
Improved piping and process design to minimize direct venting during pipeline maintenance.
Transmission and Storage – Methane Intensity of 0.142% vs. goal of 0.301% – beating goal by 53%.
Six net new T&S member companies.
ONE Future T&S member companies represent approximately 56% of the total U.S. natural gas transmission pipeline miles and 42% of the total natural gas stored in the U.S. in CY2020.
Overall T&S throughput increased 71% from CY2019 to CY2020.
Technology and Methodology for reducing emissions:
Implemented voluntary LDAR programs to identify and fix equipment leaks.
Implemented performance-based monitoring and replacement for reciprocating compressor rod packing.
Replaced four stroke lean burn engines with more efficient turbines and lower methane slip rates.
Replaced gas-fired engine compressors with electric motors.
Converted reciprocating engine and turbine gas starters to electric or air operated starters.
Increased pressurized hold times on compressors to reduced maintenance blowdown emissions
Reduced blowdown emissions by implementing pipeline pump-down techniques.
Eliminated need to blowdown pipe using pipeline isolation systems, hot taps to make new connections and sleeves and composite wraps to repair pipeline.
Replaced or repaired high emitting pneumatic devices.
Methane Intensity of 0.118% vs. goal of 0.225% – beating goal by 46%.
Nine new distribution member companies.
ONE Future distribution member companies represent 40% of the total U.S. natural gas delivered by local distribution companies and 41% of the total national miles of distribution mains.
Overall quantity of gas delivered to end users increased 107% from CY2019 to CY2020.
Technology and Methodology for reducing emissions:
Made significant progress in replacing higher emitting pipe and have ongoing pipeline replacement initiatives to improve system integrity and reduce methane emissions.
Implemented voluntary LDAR programs to identify and fix pipeline and equipment leaks.
Increased leak survey frequency.
Used pipeline pump-down procedures to minimize emissions during main repairs or retirements.
Replaced or repaired high emitting pneumatic devices with low or no-bleed devices.
Ongoing implementation and improvement of damage prevention programs.
Efforts to reduce/eliminate the Grade 3 leak backlog.
Implemented best management practices that helped eliminate the largest emitters (contribute up to 50% emissions) from the pipeline system by identifing higher emitting leaks for quick repair.
Implemented innovative aerial survey detection technology over areas with non-state-of-the-art
