Differentiating Natural Gas: An Overview of GHG Frameworks, Tracking Mechanisms, and NAESB Initiatives

Abstract

Rising global attention on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has led to greater interest from consumers, regulators, and the energy industry in lower-emission energy sources, driving a demand for reporting frameworks that can quantify and verify environmental impact claims.¹ As the market grows, accurate emissions tracking will likely be critical to provide consumer assurance and confidence regarding environmental performance claims of fuel products, and can also help provide reliable, comparable data for regulators and policymakers. Internationally, and in the US, regulatory policies and consumer demand for lower-emission energy sources have fueled a growing domestic market for certified natural gas. States like Virginia and Tennessee, for example, are actively exploring policies that support the use of natural gas lower-emission alternatives, aiming to reduce GHG emissions. In this context, frameworks such as the GHG Protocol, Greenhouse Gasses, Regulated Emissions and Energy in Transportation (GREET), Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0, and emerging initiatives such as the Greenhouse Gas Supply Chain Emissions Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MMRV) Framework offer distinct methodologies and metrics for tracking emissions across the energy value chain.