Page 4 - FSUOGM Week 12 2023

FSUOGM COMMENTARY FSUOGM

Turkmenistan world champion

of methane super emitters

Turkmenistan’s ageing Soviet-era equipment and a lack of scrutiny over
flaring has made it a world-leading methane emitter.

TURKMENISTAN TURKMENISTAN has been identified as the worldwide. Methane bombs are gas leaks from
world champion of methane super emitters, future production that could release emissions
WHAT: with a whopping 184 super-emitting events, equivalent to over a billion tonnes of CO2. These
Turkmenistan saw 184 according to recent Guardian report. The coun- fossil fuel extraction sites could result in meth-
super-emitting methane try dominated the top 100 largest super-emitter ane emissions equal to 30 years of US green-
events in 2022. events from fossil fuels, with 70 events in 2022, house gas emissions.
gushing the potent greenhouse gas methane into Methane emissions cause 25% of global heat-
WHY: the global atmosphere, mostly from oil and gas ing today, and their surge since 2007 has been
The cause is thought facilities. described as “scary” by scientists. This acceler-
to be ageing Soviet- The most severe single leak in the country ation could pose the biggest threat to keeping
era equipment and a spewed the pollution equivalent to 67mn run- below 1.5C of global heating, and seriously risks
lack of scrutiny over ning cars, or France's hourly national emissions. triggering catastrophic climate tipping points,
flaring, although there This was a leak of 427 tonnes an hour in August, researchers warn. Methane, a potent greenhouse
is little transparency in near Turkmenistan’s Caspian coast and a major gas, traps 80 times more heat than carbon diox-
Turkmenistan’s oil and pipeline. ide, but fades from the atmosphere in about a
gas sector. The colossal leaks from Turkmenistan are decade, far faster than the century or more taken
attributed by experts to ageing Soviet-era equip- by CO2.
WHAT NEXT: ment, or potentially attempts to evade scrutiny Tackling leaks from fossil fuel sites is the fast-
Turkmenistan has not over flaring, when vented gas is ignited to form est and cheapest way to slash methane emissions.
signed up to the global less damaging CO2 but produces easily visible Deliberate leaks vent unwanted gas released
methane pledge, and flames. Fossil fuel production in the country from underground while drilling for oil into the
there is little evidence remains shrouded in secrecy under its repressive air, and some are accidental, from badly main-
that the country’s dictatorship. tained or poorly regulated equipment.
high level of methane Turkmenistan also has one of the 55 "meth- The identification of the sites most critical to
emissions will be dealt ane bombs" identified by recent research, which preventing methane-driven disaster is crucial.
with anytime soon. places it among the top 10 methane bombs Satellite data analysed by the company Kayrros

P4 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 12 21•March•2023