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Absolute Emissions from the Permian Basin Declined Nearly 20% Since 2022, Even as Oil and Gas Production Grew, New S&P Global Commodity Insights Analysis Finds
Absolute greenhouse gas emissions from the Permian basin—one of the most prolific oil and gas fields in the world, responsible for 40% of total production in the United States—declined every year since 2022, even as production of oil and gas increased, according to a new analysis by S&P Global Commodity Insights.
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[{"type":"text","content":"HOUSTON, Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Absolute greenhouse gas emissions from the Permian basin—one of the most prolific oil and gas fields in the world, responsible for 40% of total production in the United States—declined every year since 2022, even as production of oil and gas increased, according to a new analysis by S&P Global Commodity Insights.","length":356,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"image","alt":"S&P Global Inc. logo","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"S&P Global Inc. logo","className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":400,"height":139,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/73497f8ca17836d56dd560e52cd39fd8"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/EkBYz7As_eqNA040HXtZ5g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTI0NTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/73497f8ca17836d56dd560e52cd39fd8","width":400,"height":139}},"href":"https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/360700/SP_Global_Commodity_Logo.html","hrefExternal":true,"rel":"nofollow"},{"type":"text","content":"Absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Permian declined by 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMt CO2e) during the years 2022-2024, a 20% reduction during a period when oil and gas production increased by the equivalent of 500,000 barrels per day.","length":275,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Although the GHG intensity of oil and gas activity—the ratio of emissions per barrel produced—in the basin has consistently declined over the past several years, the reduction in absolute emissions during a period of production growth was a surprise, the analysis says.","length":269,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""This is a whole new ballgame," said Kevin Birn, Head of the Center for Emissions Excellence, S&P Global Commodity Insights. "Major Permian producers have a long track record of improvements from an emissions per barrel standpoint, but at the end of the day more barrels produced typically means more emissions. However, over the past few years in the Permian, more barrels came with lower emissions. It's a have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too moment."","length":474,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"The biggest factor in the overall emissions reduction has been the improved detection and mitigation of methane, the analysis says. A more ...