Woodside Energy and the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on methane emissions management technology.
The initiative, named Methane Emissions Technology Reduction and Innovation Collaboration (METRIC), aims to connect Woodside with Japanese organisations developing technologies for methane detection and quantification.
Methane, the second-largest contributor to human-induced climate change after carbon dioxide, is responsible for approximately 30 per cent of global temperature rise to date.
This partnership underscores the growing importance of addressing methane emissions in the fight against climate change.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill emphasised the company’s commitment to minimising methane emissions, stating: “In 2023, our methane emissions were calculated to be around 0.1 per cent of our production by volume, well below the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) methane intensity target of less than 0.2 per cent.”
O’Neill added that METRIC reinforces Woodside’s resolve to achieve its targets while supporting other organisations in utilising the developed technology to address their own methane emissions.
The three-year MOU aligns with several existing industry and government initiatives, including:
- An MOU between JOGMEC and the Western Australian Government to strengthen energy sector cooperation and ensure stable natural resource supply to Japan.
- The Coalition for LNG Emission Abatement towards Net-zero (CLEAN), a public-private partnership supported by JOGMEC, which aims to reduce methane emissions in the LNG value chain.
- The Australian government’s Future Gas Strategy, which emphasises minimising methane venting and flaring to meet national emissions targets.
This collaboration between Woodside and JOGMEC represents a significant step towards addressing the global challenge of methane emissions in the energy sector.
By fostering technological innovation and knowledge sharing, the partnership aims to contribute to the broader goal of achieving near-zero methane emissions by 2030.
