Methane Emissions From Fossil Fuels in the Top 10 Countries

Of the nearly 120 Mt of emissions we estimate were tied to fossil fuels in 2023, around 80 Mt came from countries that are among the top 10 emitters of methane globally. The United States is the largest emitter of methane from oil and gas operations, closely followed by the Russian Federation (hereafter “Russia”). The People’s Republic of China (hereafter “China”) is by far the highest emitter in the coal sector. The amount of methane lost in fossil fuel operations globally in 2023 was 170 billion cubic metres, more than Qatar’s natural gas production.

The methane emissions intensity of oil and gas production varies widely. The best-performing countries score more than 100 times better than the worst. Norway and the Netherlands have the lowest emissions intensities. Countries in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, also have relatively low emissions intensities. Turkmenistan and Venezuela have the highest. High emissions intensities are not inevitable; they can be addressed cost-effectively through a combination of high operational standards, policy action and technology deployment. On all these fronts, best practices are well established.

Cutting Methane Emissions 

The energy sector accounts for more than one third of total methane emissions attributable to human activity, and cutting emissions from fossil fuel operations has the most potential for major reductions in the near term. We estimate that around 80 Mt of annual methane emissions from fossil fuels can be avoided through the deployment of known and existing technologies, often at low – or even negative – cost.