One year ago, a coalition of oil and natural gas companies came together to launch a new initiative designed to further reduce the industry's environmental footprint. Known as The Environmental Partnership, the program is already making a large impact.

The Environmental Partnership is a voluntary, industry-run initiative where oil and natural gas producers of all sizes come together to learn, collaborate, and take action to improve their environmental performance. Launched last December with 26 participants, the program has more than doubled in size in just its first year to include 54 companies, which together represent roughly a third of America's natural gas production.

The initial focus of the Partnership has been to build on the industry's success in reducing emissions of methane and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. Throughout its first year, the group has devoted programs and workshops to helping its members make improvements in that area.

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In 2018, the Environmental Partnership held workshops in Pennsylvania, Texas and Colorado that took a closer look at the latest technologies being used to detect leaks and best practices to reduce emissions. These workshops were open to any oil and natural gas producers, and included lengthy question and answer sessions where companies openly shared their own experiences.

In Colorado, participants toured METEC, a research and testing facility located at Colorado State University where leak detection equipment is tested under conditions similar to those found at most production sites. Those on the tour were able to ask detailed questions of the researchers and learn how to apply some of the lessons learned to their own facilities.

These workshops demonstrated that oil and natural gas producers, regardless of their size or location of operations, can benefit from the experience and knowledge shared by their colleagues. After one workshop, a company arranged a site visit so that others could see their emissions-reducing technologies up close.

Beyond the extraordinary learning and collaborating opportunities, The Environmental Partnership has also developed three performance programs that participants are implementing. One program is centered on leak detection and repair. Another focuses on the replacement or removal of high-bleed pneumatic controllers with lower-emitting devices, while the third program is the implementation of a best practice to minimize emissions during the manual liquids unloading process.

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These programs will continue to drive down the industry's air emissions. Participants in the program have also agreed to submit annual data to the Partnership which will be compiled and released publicly so that the industry can track our progress and be held accountable. The first of these reports will be released next year.

Tackling large challenges like reducing emissions not only requires everyone to do their part, but also find ways to work together. The Environmental Partnership's rapid growth in its first year underscores the power of this approach and speaks to the value it is providing to participating companies, the industry, and, most importantly, the communities in which we live and operate.

Matthew Todd, program director at the Environmental Partnership, a coalition of 54 oil and gas companies seeking to improve their environmental performance.