GHGSat to provide methane monitoring for ExxonMobil

SAN FRANCISCO – GHGSat and ExxonMobil Corp. announced a partnership Sept. 5 to monitor and mitigate methane emissions for onshore operations in North America and Asia.

Collaboration between GHGSat, a Canadian firm focused on greenhouse-gas monitoring, and the multinational oil and gas company began in 2020 with field trials to demonstrate space-based technology for methane monitoring.

ExxonMobil has now made “a significant investment” in GHGSat’s emissions monitoring, according to the Sept. 5 news release. GHGSat is not disclosing the value of the contract.

“Partnering with ExxonMobil at this scale is a powerful confirmation that GHGSat’s satellite technology creates immediate value for operators,” GHGSat CEO Stephane Germain told SpaceNews by email.

With 13 satellites in orbit, GHGSat monitors millions of industrial facilities annually. For ExxonMobil, GHGSat will provide data on onshore operations in the United States, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and other sites in North America and Asia.

GHGSat’s collaboration with ExxonMobil “marks a significant milestone in the uptake of satellite monitoring technology, to maximize revenue while minimizing environmental impacts,” Germain said.

Slashing Emissions

What’s more, the GHGSat-ExxonMobil partnership promises to cut emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

“ExxonMobil already has a proven track record of initiatives that drive tangible methane reduction,” Germain said. “Now, ExxonMobil can integrate satellite data into their robust methane monitoring system.”

Data from the GHGSat’s constellation will feed directly into ExxonMobil’s Center for Operations and Methane Emissions Tracking, a Texas-based hub to monitor and analyze emissions data.

ExxonMobil has reduced methane emissions by more than 60 percent compared with 2016 levels. Plus, routine flaring at ExxonMobile sites in the Permian Basin have been eliminated. By 2030, the oil and gas giant aims to cut emissions 70 to 80 percent from its 2016 baseline.

“To execute our ambitious goals, Exxon is in constant pursuit of innovative technology and partnerships that can drive impact,” Matt Kolesar, ExxonMobil chief environmental scientist, said in a statement. “By leveraging GHGSat’s cutting-edge satellite constellation — and the comprehensive data and insights it delivers — we are able to monitor assets at scale via satellite for the first time, informing mitigation strategy and action.”