SMA published reports on methane emissions for 2024

EU Regulation 2024/1787 on the reduction of methane emissions in the energy sector, which entered into force in August 2024, introduced provisions aimed at limiting the amount of methane released into the atmosphere by the entities covered by this legal act.

In Poland, the provisions of the Regulation apply to activities including the exploration and prospecting for hydrocarbon deposits, the extraction of hydrocarbons, the underground storage of natural gas, the regasification of liquefied natural gas, the processing, transmission, and distribution of natural gas, the extraction of lignite, the extraction of hard coal (including coking coal), decommissioned or abandoned underground coal mines, inactive wells, as well as the import of oil, gas, and coal. Under the Regulation, Member States are required to collect data on methane emissions from operators and importers operating within their territory, to use appropriate measurement and detection technologies, and to make this information available to both the European Commission and the public.

In Poland, the authority responsible for monitoring and enforcing the Regulation is the President of the State Mining Authority. The first reports on methane emissions for 2024, submitted by operators in the oil and gas and coal sectors and quantifying methane emissions at the source, have already been published. These reports are available on the website of the Public Information Bulletin of the State Mining Authority under the `Methane emission reports` section.