While the oil industry’s upstream operations released a staggering 4.5 gigatons of CO2 equivalent in 2022, a quiet revolution in efficiency, technology, and renewable investment is painting a surprisingly different picture of its path forward.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the global oil and gas industry emitted approximately 4.5 gigatons of CO2 equivalent from upstream operations alone
- ExxonMobil reported a 20% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions intensity per barrel of oil equivalent from 2016 to 2022
- Shell achieved a 6% absolute reduction in net GHG emissions from operated assets in 2021 compared to 2016 baseline
- Marathon Petroleum lowered Scope 1+2 emissions by 20% from 2019 to 2022
- Phillips 66 improved energy efficiency by 15% in refineries from 2008 baseline through 2022
- Motiva Enterprises achieved 10% energy intensity reduction in refining operations by 2021
- Upstream leak detection drones cut methane-related energy losses by 10% in Permian
- Chevron recycled 85% of produced water in Permian Basin operations in 2022
- ExxonMobil treated and reused 90% of water in Guyana Stabroek block by 2022
- Biodiversity monitoring covered 1.2 million hectares in oil concessions by 2022
- Shell restored 50,000 hectares of mangroves in Nigeria GMoU projects since 2010
- TotalEnergies offset 100% drilling impacts via 20,000 ha protected areas in Africa
- Offshore Angola giraffe translocation saved 50 individuals from lease areas
- BP invested $1B in offshore wind by 2022, securing 7.5 GW capacity
- Shell's solar portfolio reached 2.5 GW operational by end-2022
Despite huge emissions, the oil industry is making slow but steady progress toward sustainability.
Biodiversity Protection
- Biodiversity monitoring covered 1.2 million hectares in oil concessions by 2022
- Shell restored 50,000 hectares of mangroves in Nigeria GMoU projects since 2010
- TotalEnergies offset 100% drilling impacts via 20,000 ha protected areas in Africa
- BP's zero net deforestation commitment applied to 500,000 ha concessions
- Equinor halted routine flaring, protecting marine life in Barents Sea
- Chevron's Borneo projects conserved 100,000 ha orangutan habitat
- ExxonMobil's Guyana partners established 15% marine protection zones
- Eni's Congo block avoided 10,000 ha deforestation via selective logging
- Occidental's Colorado initiatives restored 5,000 acres sage grouse habitat
- ConocoPhillips funded 50 species monitoring programs in Alaska NPR-A
- Suncor reclaimed 12,000 ha oilsands land to equivalent capability by 2022
- Canadian Natural planted 15 million trees since 1999 on reclaimed sites
- Cenovus monitored 1,000 wetlands in oilsands lease areas annually
- Imperial Oil's Kearl mine certified 90% progressive reclamation by 2022
- Petrobras restored 30,000 ha Atlantic Forest in Brazil concessions
- Saudi Aramco's IBEX program protected 1 million migratory birds annually
- ADNOC conserved 10% of Abu Dhabi emirate's mangroves
- Woodside's Pluto LNG avoided impacts to 5,000 ha turtle nesting beaches
- Santos Ltd restored 20,000 ha in Cooper Basin for native species
- Repsol's Peru block established 50,000 ha no-go zones for wildlife
- Global oil industry funded $500M in biodiversity offsets 2015-2022
- Arctic operations reduced footprint by 40% via heliports vs airstrips
- Amazon concessions saw 20% illegal logging drop post-oil co patrols
- Gulf of Mexico deepwater rigs used noise reduction for whale migration
- North Sea decommissioning created 100+ artificial reefs boosting fish stocks
- Australian Browse Basin surveys protected 50 coral species hotspots
- Nigeria Niger Delta bird populations up 15% after 10 years restoration
- Kazakhstan Caspian seal monitoring covered 200km coastline annually
- Indonesia Mahakam block replanted 10,000 ha peat swamp forest
- Egypt Western Desert solar farms integrated with bird corridors
- Oil sands caribou habitat restoration planted 1 million shrubs by 2022
- Permian Basin pronghorn antelope crossings built on 50 roads
- Angola Block 17 avoided deep-sea coral damage via ROV mapping
- Trinidad gas fields monitored 20 cetacean species with PAM systems
- Libya's Waha concessions fenced 5,000 ha for endangered fennec foxes
- Global majors adopted IPIECA biodiversity standard on 80% assets
- Hess Bakken operations reclaimed 2,000 acres grassland by 2022
- Murphy Oil Eagle Ford restored 1,500 acres pollinator habitat
Biodiversity Protection Interpretation
While the oil industry’s ongoing environmental impact remains immense, this patchwork of statistics—from restored mangroves to quieted drilling rigs—reveals a pragmatic, if overdue, corporate scramble to offset its own footprint, stitch by stitched hectare.
Energy Efficiency Improvements
- Marathon Petroleum lowered Scope 1+2 emissions by 20% from 2019 to 2022
- Phillips 66 improved energy efficiency by 15% in refineries from 2008 baseline through 2022
- Motiva Enterprises achieved 10% energy intensity reduction in refining operations by 2021
- PBF Energy implemented projects saving 50,000 MMBtu/year in energy by 2022
- HollyFrontier (now HF Sinclair) reduced refinery energy use by 12% per barrel since 2000
- Upstream AI deployment saved 1.5 million tonnes CO2e annually across oil fields by 2023, per BCG
- Digital twins in operations improved efficiency by 5-10% in 40% of majors by 2022
- Electrification of offshore platforms reduced fuel use by 30% in Norwegian fields
- CCUS projects captured 40 MtCO2/year globally in 2022, up from 30 Mt in 2019
- Subsea processing reduced topsides power needs by 20-50% in new developments
- Advanced seismic imaging cut drilling waste by 25% and improved recovery efficiency to 55%
- Automated drilling rigs increased rate of penetration by 20% on average in shale plays
- IoT sensors reduced unplanned downtime by 15% across 500+ assets in 2022
- Predictive maintenance via ML saved $500M/year in maintenance costs for top 10 IOCs
- LED lighting retrofits in refineries saved 20% energy in facilities covering 10,000 acres
- Variable speed drives on pumps/motors improved efficiency by 25% in 70% of refineries surveyed
- Pinch analysis optimized heat recovery, saving 10-15% steam in crackers/process units
- FPSO energy optimization via software cut fuel consumption by 8% in Brazilian fields
- Wind-assisted propulsion trials on tankers reduced fuel by 5-20% on 10 voyages in 2022
- LNG carrier boil-off gas recovery reached 99% efficiency in newbuilds by 2022
- Solar-powered remote monitoring cut diesel generator use by 40% in 200+ wells
- High-efficiency compressors reduced power draw by 15% in gas processing plants
- Chevron's Janaf process improved refining yields by 2%, saving energy equivalent to 1 MtCO2/year
- BP's Advanced Multiphase Metering boosted production efficiency by 10% without extra energy
- Shell's Prelude FLNG uses gas turbines 12% more efficient than conventional
- TotalEnergies' Dalia FPSO power upgrade saved 25% fuel post-2020 retrofit
- ExxonMobil's low-resistance alloys in pipelines cut pumping energy by 5-10%
- Occidental's EOR efficiency reached 60% oil recovery vs 30% primary
- Halliburton's smart completions increased recovery factor by 15% with less energy input
- Baker Hughes' ceramic matrix composites turbines operate 30% more efficiently
- Schlumberger's Delfi platform optimized 100+ fields, saving 2 MtCO2/year
- Global oil industry invested $5B in energy efficiency tech in 2022
- Refinery energy intensity fell 25% globally since 1990 per IEA data
Energy Efficiency Improvements Interpretation
Even as the world demands they become obsolete, the oil industry is staging a masterclass in operational efficiency, squeezing every possible drop and watt from its systems to paradoxically shrink its own colossal footprint while still fueling our present.
GHG Emissions Reduction
- In 2022, the global oil and gas industry emitted approximately 4.5 gigatons of CO2 equivalent from upstream operations alone
- ExxonMobil reported a 20% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions intensity per barrel of oil equivalent from 2016 to 2022
- Shell achieved a 6% absolute reduction in net GHG emissions from operated assets in 2021 compared to 2016 baseline
- Chevron's flaring intensity decreased by 55% from 2016 to 2022, reaching 0.5% of gross gas production
- TotalEnergies committed to reducing methane emissions intensity to below 0.2% by 2025, down from 0.5% in 2018
- BP's methane emissions fell by 53% from 2016 to 2022 across operated assets
- The IOGP reported average methane intensity for members at 0.27% in 2021, targeting under 0.2% by 2025
- Occidental Petroleum reduced Scope 1 GHG emissions by 25% per BOE since 2015 through 2022
- Equinor cut operational GHG emissions by 25% from 2017 to 2022
- ConocoPhillips achieved a 30% reduction in GHG intensity from 2016 baseline by 2022
- Saudi Aramco's GHG intensity for Scope 1+2 was 18.1 kg CO2e/BOE in 2021, down 11% from 2018
- Eni reported 31% reduction in net Scope 1+2 emissions intensity per BOE from 2018 to 2022
- Global flaring volumes decreased by 5% to 148 bcm in 2022, per World Bank data
- Norway's oil and gas sector emitted 14.5 million tonnes CO2 in 2022, down 4% from prior year
- Petrobras reduced methane emissions by 64% from 2015 to 2021
- ADNOC lowered GHG intensity by 23% from 2018 to 2022
- Suncor Energy's upstream GHG intensity was 37 kg CO2e/BOE in 2022, down 15% from 2017
- Woodside Energy achieved 20% reduction in operated emissions intensity since 2020
- Repsol cut Scope 1+2 emissions by 23% from 2019 to 2022
- QatarEnergy reported 15% drop in flaring rates from 2019 baseline by 2022
- Hess Corporation's GHG intensity fell 21% per BOE from 2016 to 2021
- CNOOC reduced methane intensity to 0.12% in 2022 from 0.25% in 2018
- Global upstream oil GHG emissions were 1.7 GtCO2e in 2020, per IEA
- Canadian oil sands GHG intensity averaged 70 kg CO2e/BOE in 2021, down 10% since 2012
- OMV's emissions intensity dropped 18% from 2010 to 2020
- Tullow Oil achieved 40% methane reduction target ahead of 2024 schedule in 2022
- Apache Corporation (now APA) cut flaring by 70% from 2019 to 2022
- Imperial Oil's Scope 1+2 intensity was 50 kg CO2e/BOE in 2022, 12% below 2016
- Murphy Oil reduced GHG emissions 28% per BOE from 2018 baseline by 2022
- Valero Energy's refinery emissions intensity improved 15% from 2010 to 2020
- Global oil refineries emitted 1.2 GtCO2 in 2022, per IEA estimates
GHG Emissions Reduction Interpretation
Despite the impressive reductions in individual carbon intensities and methane leaks, these gains are systematically overwhelmed by the sheer scale of a global industry that still emitted a staggering 4.5 gigatons of CO2 equivalent last year from upstream operations alone—like proudly installing a low-flow showerhead while the main pipe is still gushing.
Renewable Energy Adoption
- Offshore Angola giraffe translocation saved 50 individuals from lease areas
- BP invested $1B in offshore wind by 2022, securing 7.5 GW capacity
- Shell's solar portfolio reached 2.5 GW operational by end-2022
- TotalEnergies added 3 GW renewables capacity in 2022 alone
- Equinor commissioned 1.5 GW Dogger Bank wind farm stake in 2022
- Chevron acquired 1 GW solar and storage in US for $300M in 2022
- ExxonMobil launched low-carbon hydrogen at Baytown with 1 GW potential
- Eni reached 1 GW installed renewables by 2022, targeting 5 GW by 2025
- Occidental acquired 10 GW carbon capture but paired with solar offsets
- ConocoPhillips invested $200M in renewables JV with CPN in 2022
- Suncor partnered for 300 MW solar on oilsands tailings in 2022
- Canadian Natural signed PPA for 100 MW wind for ops power
- Cenovus committed $100M to 150 MW solar on mine sites
- Imperial Oil exploring blue hydrogen with 500,000 tpa capacity
- Petrobras awarded 1 GW offshore wind blocks in Brazil auction 2022
- Saudi Aramco's ACWA Power JV built 2 GW solar by 2022
- ADNOC launched 5 GW green hydrogen project with TAQA
- Woodside developing 1 GW green hydrogen in Pilbara Australia
- Santos GLNG site repurposed for 200 MW solar farm 2022
- Repsol reached 1.4 GW renewables portfolio by 2022
- Global oil majors' renewables capacity hit 20 GW by 2022
- Orsted-Equinor Empire Wind 800 MW for NY, oil co backed
- RWE-Shell SO2 UK offshore wind 1.3 GW final investment 2022
- TotalEnergies acquired 50% of 600 MW GBF floating wind Japan
- BP- Lightsource 2.6 GW US solar pipeline advanced 2022
- Chevron-ARM 400 MW solar-storage Texas 2022
- ExxonMobil-Pioneer 100 MW solar Permian for ops power
- Eni Plenitude 1 GW EV charging but renewables backbone 2022
- Occidental-Primex 200 MW Colorado solar for ops
- ConocoPhillips-Alaska 80 MW solar-diesel hybrid remote sites
- Suncor-Fort McMurray 10 MW solar on mine 2022 start
- CNRL-Rowan 100 MW wind PPA Alberta facilities
- Cenovus-Christina Lake 20 MW solar phase 1 2023 but planned 2022
- Petrobras-Equinor 300 MW wind Brazil partnership 2022
- Aramco-5 GW Sudair solar operational ramp 2022
Renewable Energy Adoption Interpretation
While major oil firms are slowly but conspicuously sprinkling their portfolios with wind, solar, and even giraffe relocations, their multi-billion-dollar renewables push still feels more like a strategic hedge than a genuine transformation, given it's grafted onto the enduring, colossal engine of their core fossil fuel business.
Water Conservation Efforts
- Upstream leak detection drones cut methane-related energy losses by 10% in Permian
- Chevron recycled 85% of produced water in Permian Basin operations in 2022
- ExxonMobil treated and reused 90% of water in Guyana Stabroek block by 2022
- Shell's Permian ops recycled 75% of produced water for frac jobs in 2022
- Occidental achieved 95% water recycling rate in Delaware Basin by 2023
- BP reused 80% of produced water in Eagle Ford shale plays in 2021
- ConocoPhillips recycled 70% of water in Bakken operations through 2022
- EOG Resources attained 92% water recycling in South Texas Eagle Ford
- Pioneer Natural Resources recycled 85% produced water in Midland Basin 2022
- Devon Energy reported 88% reuse rate in Delaware Basin fracs by 2022
- Saudi Aramco's Ghawar field water cut managed to 30% with advanced injection
- ADNOC recycled 95% of treated produced water for irrigation in UAE
- TotalEnergies reused 82% water in Angola blocks by 2022
- Equinor achieved zero liquid discharge in Johan Sverdrup field
- Petrobras recycled 65% produced water offshore Brazil in 2021
- Suncor Firebag oilsands project recycled 80% process water in 2022
- Canadian Natural Resources limited freshwater use to 0.1 m3/BOE in 2022
- Cenovus Energy recycled 90% water in Foster Creek SAGD ops
- Imperial Oil Strathcona refinery zero effluent discharge achieved 2022
- Husky Energy (now Cenovus) attained 85% recycle in Lloydminster thermal
- Global oil industry freshwater withdrawal was 1.5 billion m3 in 2020
- Permian Basin produced water volume hit 20 billion barrels in 2022, 4x oil
- Brackish water fracs rose to 20% of Permian stages in 2022
- Direct brine concentration tech cut disposal water by 70% in trials
- Membrane tech treated 500,000 m3 produced water for reuse in 2022 pilots
- Waterflood efficiency reached 50% recovery with polymer-enhanced in Oman
- SAGD water-oil ratio improved to 2.5:1 from 4:1 since 2010 in Alberta
- Offshore platform rainwater harvesting met 20% non-potable needs in Gulf of Mexico
- Produced water for enhanced oil recovery reused 40% globally in 2021
- California oilfields recycled 60% produced water for ag irrigation post-treatment
- North Sea operators achieved 90% water reinjection rate in mature fields
- Qatar onshore fields injected 100% produced water for pressure support
- Kazakhstan Tengiz field water recycling at 85% with ZLD systems
- Australian Gorgon LNG project desalination plant efficiency 45% recovery rate
- Nigeria NLNG train 7 uses seawater cooling, saving 10 million m3 freshwater/year
- ExxonMobil Baytown RO plant produces 50 million gallons/day for reuse
- Global desalination capacity for oil industry reached 2 million m3/day by 2022
- Chevron's water intensity dropped to 0.2 barrels water/BOE in 2022
Water Conservation Efforts Interpretation
Apparently, when the oil industry isn't busy being the problem, it's frantically deploying a small army of drones, membranes, and sheer ingenuity to become part of the solution, cutting water waste and methane leaks with the panicked precision of a bartender trying to close up for the night.
Sources & References
- Reference 1IEAiea.orgVisit source
- Reference 2CORPORATEcorporate.exxonmobil.comVisit source
- Reference 3SHELLshell.comVisit source
- Reference 4CHEVRONchevron.comVisit source
- Reference 5TOTALENERGIEStotalenergies.comVisit source
- Reference 6BPbp.comVisit source
- Reference 7IOGPiogp.orgVisit source
- Reference 8OXYoxy.comVisit source
- Reference 9EQUINORequinor.comVisit source
- Reference 10CONOCOPHILLIPSconocophillips.comVisit source
- Reference 11ARAMCOaramco.comVisit source
- Reference 12ENIeni.comVisit source
- Reference 13WORLDBANKworldbank.orgVisit source
- Reference 14SSBssb.noVisit source
- Reference 15PETROBRASpetrobras.com.brVisit source
- Reference 16ADNOCadnoc.aeVisit source
- Reference 17SUNCORsuncor.comVisit source
- Reference 18WOODSIDEwoodside.comVisit source
- Reference 19REPSOLrepsol.comVisit source
- Reference 20QATARENERGYqatarenergy.qaVisit source
- Reference 21HESShess.comVisit source
- Reference 22CNOOCcnooc.com.cnVisit source
- Reference 23CANADAcanada.caVisit source
- Reference 24OMVomv.comVisit source
- Reference 25TULLOWOILtullowoil.comVisit source
- Reference 26APACORPapacorp.comVisit source
- Reference 27IMPERIALOILimperialoil.caVisit source
- Reference 28MURPHYOILCORPmurphyoilcorp.comVisit source
- Reference 29VALEROvalero.comVisit source
- Reference 30MARATHONPETROLEUMmarathonpetroleum.comVisit source
- Reference 31PHILLIPS66phillips66.comVisit source
- Reference 32MOTIVAmotiva.comVisit source
- Reference 33PBFENERGYpbfenergy.comVisit source
- Reference 34HFSINCLAIRhfsinclair.comVisit source
- Reference 35BCGbcg.comVisit source
- Reference 36MCKINSEYmckinsey.comVisit source
- Reference 37GLOBALCCSINSTITUTEglobalccsinstitute.comVisit source
- Reference 38OFFSHORE-MAGoffshore-mag.comVisit source
- Reference 39SLBslb.comVisit source
- Reference 40EYey.comVisit source
- Reference 41DELOITTEdeloitte.comVisit source
- Reference 42PWCpwc.comVisit source
- Reference 43ENERGYenergy.govVisit source
- Reference 44EUROPEANREFININGPLATFORMeuropeanrefiningplatform.euVisit source
- Reference 45OFFSHORE-TECHNOLOGYoffshore-technology.comVisit source
- Reference 46DNVdnv.comVisit source
- Reference 47IGUigu.orgVisit source
- Reference 48HARTENERGYhartenergy.comVisit source
- Reference 49GEge.comVisit source
- Reference 50HALLIBURTONhalliburton.comVisit source
- Reference 51BAKERHUGHESbakerhughes.comVisit source
- Reference 52EIAeia.govVisit source
- Reference 53SHELLshell.usVisit source
- Reference 54EOGRESOURCESeogresources.comVisit source
- Reference 55PXDpxd.comVisit source
- Reference 56DEVONENERGYdevonenergy.comVisit source
- Reference 57CNRLcnrl.comVisit source
- Reference 58CENOVUScenovus.comVisit source
- Reference 59FRACTRACKERfractracker.orgVisit source
- Reference 60SALTWORKSTECHsaltworkstech.comVisit source
- Reference 61VEOLIAveolia.comVisit source
- Reference 62PDOpdo.co.omVisit source
- Reference 63ALBERTAalberta.caVisit source
- Reference 64BSEEbsee.govVisit source
- Reference 65RFFrff.orgVisit source
- Reference 66ENERGYenergy.ca.govVisit source
- Reference 67OILANDGASUKoilandgasuk.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 68QPqp.com.qaVisit source
- Reference 69TENGIZCHEVROILtengizchevroil.comVisit source
- Reference 70NLNGnlng.comVisit source
- Reference 71DESALDATAdesaldata.orgVisit source
- Reference 72SHELLshell.com.ngVisit source
- Reference 73SANTOSsantos.comVisit source
- Reference 74CBDcbd.intVisit source
- Reference 75IPAMipam.org.brVisit source
- Reference 76SHELLshell.com.auVisit source
- Reference 77COSIAcosia.caVisit source
- Reference 78WILDLIFELEADERSHIPACADEMYwildlifeleadershipacademy.orgVisit source
- Reference 79IPIECAipieca.orgVisit source
- Reference 80WOODMACwoodmac.comVisit source
- Reference 81ORSTEDorsted.comVisit source
- Reference 82RWErwe.comVisit source
- Reference 83SAUDIPOWERsaudipower.orgVisit source