US 'super-emitters' of planet heating methane identified by satellite analysis
13 hours ago
- Energy Transfer's Shreveport facility in Louisiana is identified as the largest methane super-emitter in the US, releasing 1.56 tonnes of methane per hour based on satellite data.
- The UCLA study found that the facility's emissions are 15 times higher than the EPA's super-emitter threshold; the Trump administration has paused enforcement of methane regulations.
- Energy Transfer, whose CEO donated millions to Trump, is linked to 4 of the 15 top methane-emitting sites and produced three times more methane plumes than any other operator.
- Methane is a potent greenhouse gas trapping 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years, and emissions are vastly underreported—actual US methane releases are 64% higher than EPA figures.
- Activists and researchers stress that satellites reveal previously invisible emissions, but many leaks remain undetected due to cloud cover and lack of oversight, with little regulatory pressure on operators.
- The study focused on the Permian, Appalachian, and Haynesville basins due to their role in the booming LNG export industry, which Trump has sought to expand despite methane leaks worsening climate impacts.
- Some sites, including the top two emitters, showed no recent methane plumes, suggesting possible improvements, but critics argue that without stricter rules or a shift to clean energy, emissions will continue.