A new study by University of Michigan researchers published in the academic journal Science suggests that flaring at U.S. oil and gas facilities releases five times more methane than previously estimated—with unburned, escaped gas making up as much as 10% of the country’s petroleum-based emissions.
The results, based on research in three major U.S. natural gas producing regions, examined longstanding industry and regulatory assumptions that flares are lit consistently and that they burn off 98% of methane when in operation.