The status quo of methane emissions in the natural gas industry and the response to its emission reduction:literature-based analysis

Methane is a greenhouse gas with a higher potential for warming than carbon dioxide.Coal, oil and gas extraction are energy sources with relatively concentrated methane emissions.With the advancement of low-carbon energy transformation, the natural gas industry chain has become the primary contributor to the rise in methane emission from energy activities, and the methane emission problem has become a bottleneck impeding the high-quality development of the natural gas industry.It is vital to do comprehensive and in-depth study on relevant issues of methane emissions in the natural gas industry in order to effectively address this issue.Therefore, this paper examines domestic and international literature on three fronts:understanding of methane emission sources in the natural gas industry, accounting and evaluation, and emission reduction strategies.Firstly, the methane emission sources from various types of natural gas and different links in the industrial chain are clarified, along with the significance of mining this issue and the need for more study.Then, the accounting research of methane emissions in the natural gas industry are studied from bottom-up and top-down viewpoints, the application characteristics of different types of methodologies are examined, and the emission scale is estimated.Finally, means of methane emission reduction in the natural gas industry are sorted out and their application status and emission reduction impacts are studied as well form the perspectives of technology and policy.Through the review and analysis of the aforementioned three aspects of the literature, the reference points and shortcomings of the existing research on methane emissions in the natural gas industry are clarified, and recommendations for future research are given to successfully meet the challenges posed by methane emissions in the natural gas industry.