Researchers at UCLA’s Emmett Institute have released rankings of major methane emitters across US oil and gas operations, based on satellite data analysis combined with public records. The study examined emissions from January 2025 through June this year in three primary oil and gas basins: the Permian, Appalachian, and Haynesville-Bossier regions, which collectively account for approximately two-thirds of US natural gas production.
The Energy Transfer facility near Shreveport, Louisiana emerged as the largest single source of methane emissions in the country. During the study period, the site released methane at an average rate of 1.56 tonnes per hour, substantially exceeding the threshold established by the EPA under a prior administration program for designating super-emitter events. The company operates four of the fifteen sites identified in the rankings and is responsible for a total of 75 methane plumes throughout the study period, triple the amount attributed to the next-largest operator. Other major contributors include Enterprise Products, Targa Resources, and Enlink.
The satellite analysis identified 1,097 methane plumes from oil and gas sources across the three basins during the study period. Researchers were able to assign a responsible operator to approximately one-third of these plumes using publicly available data. Scientists noted this limitation represents a significant transparency concern, as official documentation often fails to identify facilities responsible for significant emissions. Research indicates that actual methane emissions from US oil and gas operations are approximately 64 percent higher than official EPA reports suggest.
Experience from field observers confirms the satellite findings. Advocates working with specialized monitoring equipment have documented substantial methane releases at various facilities that often escape detection due to weather conditions or cloud cover obscuring satellite imagery. Currently, no regulations impose penalties on operators for releasing methane through venting or leaks. The UCLA researchers focused their analysis on the three major basins due to their central role in supporting the nation’s expanding liquefied natural gas export sector, through which the US has become the world’s leading LNG exporter.
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