Cheniere Energy, Inc. (“Cheniere” or the “Company”) announced it has set a voluntary, measurement-informed Scope 1 annual methane intensity target for its liquefaction facilities. The Scope 1 methane target builds upon the Company’s robust climate strategy and leverages data from its multi-scale emissions measurement and mitigation programs. The methane target is consistent with the requirements to achieve Gold Standard under Cheniere’s membership in the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Oil & Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0.
Cheniere aims to consistently maintain a Scope 1 annual methane emissions intensity of 0.03% per tonne of liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced across its two U.S. Gulf Coast liquefaction facilities by 2027. Using measured emissions data to inform methane targets represents an important element in Cheniere’s strategy and moves the industry forward in its climate performance.
Cheniere’s Quantification, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (QMRV) projects — including data from approximately 50 aerial measurements of the Company’s operations at its liquefaction facilities performed over a 16-month period — informed the process of establishing the methane target.
“Cheniere’s LNG plays a critical role in meeting the world’s growing need for secure and reliable energy, while supporting the transition to a lower-carbon future,” said Jack Fusco, Cheniere’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our methane emissions intensity target reflects our commitment to leverage measurement-informed emissions data to improve the climate competitiveness of our LNG and ensure the long-term resilience of our business.”
In addition, Cheniere has updated its peer-reviewed LNG life cycle assessment (LCA), originally published in 2021. The new study has been accepted by a top-tier academic journal and is expected to be published soon. The updated LCA finds that in all cases the supply-chain specific GHG emissions intensity of Cheniere’s LNG is lower than those presented in the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) 2019 study.
Cheniere’s broader climate strategy focuses on a data- and science-based approach to identifying potential emissions reduction opportunities. The Company collaborates with suppliers throughout the LNG value chain, scientific experts, leading academic institutions and customers to inform, understand and improve the characterization of emissions performance and identify potential mitigation measures across the supply chain.
