Impact investors pressure and increasing rivalry for ESG investments forced Exxon to announce this week it would start measuring its methane emissions from production of natural gas at a facility it owns in New Mexico as a pilot project, according to Reuters. Exxon is following the path of several other shale gas producers that already provide similar data.
The oil major has signed an agreement with independent measuring firm MiQ to certify 200 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
Its plant in Poker Lake, where the measurements will be take, already had some technology in place to help detect leaks and reduce emissions. Exxon says it continues to look at options for deploying technology to help mitigate leaks and emissions.
There is a possibility that the measurement initiative could carry over to other shale production assets belonging to Exxon.