Gas emissions in the Permian Basin are getting more harmful for the environment

Burning and releasing huge amounts of natural gas into the atmosphere from facilities in the Permian Basin is significantly more intense than previously thought. Studies on controversial combustion and leakage practices are typically focused on emissions separated from the activity of oil producers in the upper wells.

But natural gas processing facilities in the region receive more gas than they can absorb, forcing them to burn or release around 190 million cubic feet (57.9 million cubic meters) of gas per day in the past which is a 30% increase over the total discharged amount of approximately 810 million cubic feet (146.8 million cubic meters), according to Oslo-based Rystad. These volumes are sufficient to meet the needs of 5 million US households.

The burning of gas has drawn criticism from the Permian basin producers as concerns about rising greenhouse gas emissions, which are largely responsible for climate change, are rising among consumers and investors.

Gas burned and released into the atmosphere is an undesirable product of extraction in the Permian Basin, as there are no pipelines to be diverted.

Rystad uses information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates statewide oil and gas, and its own estimates.

Ryan Seaton, one of the three commissioners of the regulator, plans to publish a first-of-its-kind burn report next week to provide better publicity.

According to Rystad, the total volumes of combustion gas are probably not fully accounted for and their volume is higher. Of the 50 operators in the Permian Basin, only seven publish burn data, which means that there are obvious gaps.

Regulators in Texas are being squeezed by environmentalists and some major oil producers because they have allowed the industry to burn record amounts of gas. Although this resource is safer and cleaner than methane, combustion releases carbon dioxide and wastes a useful energy source.

Opponents of the activity in question claim that producers should not allow drilling of wells unless they have a gas extraction plan in place.