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USEA Virtual Press Briefing: The Future of Natural Gas in the Energy Transition

image credit: USEA

Llewellyn King 59,640

Executive Producer and Host, White House Media, LLC

Llewellyn King is the creator, executive producer and host of “White House Chronicle,” a weekly news and public affairs program, airing nationwide on PBS and public, educational and government...

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Jul 12, 2023Jul 12, 2023 3:53 pm GMT
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Natural gas has been the fuel of choice for utilities since supplies increased, due to deregulation of price, and especially the plenty guaranteed by fracking. It burns 60-percent cleaner than coal and is easily transported and stored.

Gas turbines are flexible. Above all, the power they produce is dispatchable on demand.

As more wind and solar comes on line, the need for dispatchable power increases to offset the intermittency of these renewables, especially wind. Many utilities argue it is essential for grid stability.

But opponents have lined up against natural gas as a greenhouse gas emitter, albeit half as much as coal. They also oppose more fracking and exports, even though these may displace coal in many markets.

Opponents of natural gas may get more influence if the summer has a lot of severe weather events. A harbinger of the troubles ahead for gas may be the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rulemaking mandating new and untried technologies for carbon capture and storage.

To examine the future of natural gas and its controversies, the United States Energy Association will hold a virtual press briefing on Tuesday, July 11, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.

As usual, a panel of experts will be questioned by a panel of reporters who cover energy. There will be opening remarks by new USEA President and CEO Mark Menezes. The briefing will be hosted by its organizer, journalist Llewellyn King.

EXPERTS:

Robert Gee, President, Gee Strategies Group LLC
Jim Matheson, CEO, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Richard McMahon, Senior Vice President, Supply and Finance, Edison Electric Institute
Richard Meyer, Vice President, Markets and Analysis, American Gas Association
David Naylor, President and CEO, Rayburn Electric Cooperative, Rockwall, TX
Wayne Winegarden

REPORTERS:

Peter Behr, E&E News
Matt Chester, Energy Central
Rod Kuckro, Freelance
Ken Silverstein, Forbes

Discussions

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Matt Chester on Jul 12, 2023

Does the Energy Central Community have any follow up questions for this esteemed panel?

Mark Silverstone on Jul 14, 2023

When will the US gas industry face the reality that fracking, as practiced in Texas’ Permian Basin, makes this statement misleading, if not an outright lie:

“ It burns 60-percent cleaner than coal…”

As long as the abundance of cheaply produced gas depends on poor regulatory and operational practices, the supposed environmental advantages of substituting natural gas for coal amount to less than zero.

Of course, it is possible that if operators and regulators, especially the Texas Railroad Commission, took steps to greatly reduce venting and flaring as well as leaks from abandoned wells and from the processing and transport of gas, the environmental advantages of gas over coal combustion could be realized.

But the practices are entrenched in the fracking business plan and not easily addressed. This is especially true for the relatively small producers who are already overleveraged and, along with the volatility of gas prices, are severely threatened by the mention of environmentally responsible operating requirements.

Michael Keller on Jul 17, 2023

Gas turbine (combined cycle) power plants produce energy much more efficiently than a coal plant. Sixty percent reduction in CO2 emissions is accurate. Basic thermodynamics.

A peaking gas turbine plant is around 25 percent cleaner. However, coal power plants are not used as peakers, so not much of a meaningful comparison.

We do not need “more” regulation, as that only serves to increase the size of the bureaucracy while providing no meaningful benefit. Industry organizations and standards are more effective.

Your claims of leakage should checked against reality, as opposed to using propaganda emanating from the green energy lobby (including the lobby residing within the government)

Mark Silverstone on Jul 17, 2023

My claims of leakage are based on information from studies by a major gas producer in which I participated. It is not so complicated. They meter the methane gas that gets loaded into a ship (as liquid) or a pipeline (as gas) and then meter it again when it is transferred to a utility for distribution and for which they get paid. The difference is leakage and it runs pretty consistently at 4-6%, depending on whether it is liquified or not. They are constantly trying to reduce the losses as, aside from the environmental impact, the total losses amount to a lot of money.

If you don´t believe it, go smoke a cigar next to one of the pipe joints. (It happens.)

My claims regarding methane emissions from the fracking process itself are based on data supplied here and come from the Energy Information Agency here. Here is an excerpt:

Information about methane emissions from the over 4 million abandoned wells in the US and Canada comes from here.

Information about permits to vent and burn gas are from the Texas Railroad Commission.

These are not lobbying organizations. I suppose all of these sources of information are just members of the "Deep State"? I would like to know where you get your information about who is spreading propaganda.

If you have "alternative facts" please share them. You cannot just dismiss data that you don´t like without providing any data whatsoever. It is not honest discussion. It is just insulting.

Michael Keller on Jul 20, 2023

Flaring, by definition, burns the natural gas. It is not leakage.

Mark Silverstone on Jul 21, 2023

Flaring, in theory, is indeed not leakage. But as practiced at even the most well managed operations, it is extremely incomplete combustion. A great deal of methane is emitted. You live near drilling operations. Go have a look. There’s lots of smoke. Not like your range.

Operators’ objectives are only to get rid of the gas and associated well contents like H2S and other noxious compounds. That which is not fully combusted to CO2 or SO2, up to 15-20% of the gas, enters the atmosphere as methane, other hydocarbons, H2S or CO or falls on the ground, or on the neighbors or surface water.

Some info here and here.

Tom Rolfson on Jul 21, 2023

Flaring also has an infinite "emissions efficiency" in that you burn it, and get no useful energy out of it (∞ lbs/kWh). Better than leaking, but still far less than ideal.

Matt Chester on Jul 21, 2023

Not to mention the dirty (and poorly kept) secret that we know flaring quantities are surely underreported

Mark Silverstone on Jul 21, 2023

I still hope that the Copernicus program will help put pressure on emitters to at least accurately report emissions and, eventually, to reduce them. So far, there is little action to reform monitoring and reporting practices.

Thank Llewellyn for the Post!

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