Methane Best Practices

Methane is a useful fuel and chemical feedstock, but a nasty greenhouse gas.

Joe Sabol is a co-organizer of the following conference symposia.

American Chemical Society
ACS Spring 2026
Atlanta, Georgia
March 22-26, 2026

Methane: Chemistry of a Greenhouse Gas

Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide on a per-molecule basis, and is responsible for about 1/3 of the recent increase in Earth's surface temperature. It is currently present at >1.9 ppm in the atmosphere, and its concentration has risen nearly 20% since direct measurements began in the early 1980s. Anthropogenic methane emissions are rising and in 2023 were estimated to be 330 Mt (million metric tons), with fossil fuel supply chains contributing ~120 Mt. Fortunately, methane has a much shorter atmospheric half-life (~10 years) than carbon dioxide.  While eliminating methane emissions alone would not stop global warming, reducing methane emissions provides an opportunity to slow global warming and climate disruption in the near-term. This session includes methane sources and sinks, atmospheric measurements and modeling, understanding methane releases and leaks, and methods for reducing methane emissions along the fossil fuel supply chain, from landfills, and from other sources. Aligned with U.N. Sustainable Development Goals 7, Affordable and Clean Energy and 13, Climate Action.

joint ENVR, ENFL, GEOC, I&EC

PACIFICHEM 2025

Honolulu, December 15-20

Approaching Steady-State Atmospheric Methane in the Anthropocene
 
The current atmospheric concentration of methane exceeds 2.00 ppm and is increasing faster than at any time since record keeping began in the 1980s. Approximately 40% of the post-industrial revolution global warming (radiative forcing) can be ascribed to methane. Natural gas (methane) and liquified natural gas (LNG) are useful fuels and chemical feedstocks and easily transported via an established infrastructure. The 2024 market value of methane and LNG is projected to be US$117B and grow at least 10% per year. Methane’s savior is its mean atmospheric lifetime, ~10 years, and can provide a near-term opportunity to mitigate global warming. Unfortunately, the atmospheric lifetime of methane appears to be increasing, due to loss of hydroxyl radicals and other species in methane destruction reactions. Human activity contributes to the imbalance between natural sources and sinks. This symposium includes methane sources and sinks, measurement, control, and use technology, climate modeling, regulatory impacts, and market supply and demand.

PACIFICHEM

American Chemical Society
ACS Fall 2025
Washington DC
August 17-21, 2025

Methane: Policy for a Greenhouse Gas

The global market value of methane (natural gas) is projected to be $120 billion in 2025 and grow 5-10 % per year. Use of coal, oil, and gas contribute 120 million tons (Mt) of methane emission into the atmosphere. The United States is the largest emitter of methane (10%) and closely followed by the Russian Federation. In terms of contribution to the greenhouse gas inventory, methane is second, between carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, and accounts for about 1/3 of the global warming since the industrial revolution. The atmospheric concentration of methane is increasing faster than at any time since record keeping began in the 1980s, but its savior is a mean atmospheric lifetime of about ten years. Methane won’t disappear from the market anytime soon, but control of emission is a near-term opportunity to mitigate Earth’s atmospheric warming. This symposium includes methane sources and sinks, measurement, control, and use technology, climate modeling, regulatory impacts, and market supply and demand.

ENFL  GEOC

ACS Denver Elevating the Discussion around Methane

The current global market value of methane (natural gas) is $120 billion and is projected to grow at least 5% per year. Methane is second in terms of contribution to the greenhouse gas inventory, between carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, and accounting for about 30% of the global warming since the industrial revolution; the atmospheric concentration of methane is increasing faster than at any time since record keeping began in the 1980s. Methane’s savior is its mean atmospheric lifetime of about ten years (CO2 and N2O are each about 100 years) providing a near-term opportunity to mitigate its atmospheric concentration, the imbalance between natural sources and sinks. We need to better understand methane sources and sinks, measurement, control, and use technology, climate modeling, regulatory impacts, and market supply and demand.

ACS Fall 2024 ENFL