OREANDA-NEWS. September 24, 2015. The oil and natural gas industry is leading the way to reduce methane emissions in a cost-effective manner, and new regulations could threaten America’s energy renaissance, API told EPA Wednesday in a series of public hearings in Denver and Dallas on the agency’s proposed methane regulations for oil and natural gas production.

“Even as U.S. oil and natural gas production has surged, methane emissions have declined significantly,” said Tracee Bentley, executive director of the Colorado Petroleum Council, in testimony at the Denver hearing. “Methane is natural gas, and our industry has voluntarily led the way in its pursuit of improved operations to safely maximize the recovery and capture of these valuable oil and gas resources.”

Methane emissions from hydraulically fractured natural gas wells have fallen nearly 79 percent since 2005, and total methane emissions from natural gas systems are down 11 percent over the same period, according to EPA Data. These reductions have occurred during a time when total U.S. gas production has increased 44 percent.

“This industry has also played a significant role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector to 27-year lows,” said Matthew Todd, API senior policy advisor, in testimony at the Dallas hearing. “These trends are the result of free market measures and private sector investment. We urge EPA not to get in the way of this success by developing a one-size-fits-all regulatory approach. The last thing we need is a duplicative and costly regulation that could increase the cost of energy for American consumers and undermine America’s energy renaissance.

“API remains committed to working with EPA and the administration to identify additional cost-effective control opportunities that do not hinder the ability to provide the energy our nation will continue to demand for years to come.”

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 25 million Americans.