Reducing emissions in our operations
In 2019 we made further progress against the three operational emissions targets we set in 2018. These targets were to deliver: zero net growth in operational emissions out to 2025 against an adjusted 2015 baselinea; 3.5Mte sustainable greenhouse gas emission reductions (SERs) for the period 2016 to 2025; and a methane intensity of 0.2%
Our target of zero net growth in operational emissions out to 2025 aims to ensure that our carbon footprint does not grow as our business grows. We will offset any increase in our GHG emissions above a 2015 baseline that cannot be managed through reductions, including SERs. In 2019 we did not need to purchase offsets in line with this target.
In 2019 we exceeded our target of 3Mte of SERs for the period 2016 to 2025, six years ahead of schedule. We reported 1.4MteCO2 of reductions and a total of 3.9MteCO2 since 2016.
3.9Mte
of SERs achieved 2016-2019, six years ahead of schedule
- In Angola we delivered further reductions in flaring emissions in 2019 by building on process optimizations that started in 2018 and implementing well management strategies.
- In Oman, we invested in performance improvements to our power generators, which allowed us to operate with a reduced number of gas turbines. We also successfully applied working practices and technologies for well tests and green completions in Khazzan.
- At our bp Whiting refinery in the US, the installation of a new control scheme on a flare system has reduced continuous natural gas purging.
- Our onshore BPX Energy sites executed various projects to reduce methane venting from equipment and fugitive emissions, with the additional implementation of compressor optimization initiatives, which reduced fuel consumption on site.
- Our shipping operations delivered emissions reductions in 2019 through improved efficiency of the new oil and LNG vessels delivered in 2018 and 2019.
At our bp Whiting refinery in the US, the installation of a new control scheme on a flare system has reduced continuous natural gas purging, resulting in a sustainable GHG emissions reduction of 8.5 kilotonnes in 2019.
Our onshore sites in BPX Energy executed various projects to reduce methane venting from equipment and fugitive emissions. With the additional implementation of compressor optimization initiatives, which reduced fuel consumption on site, the resulting overall reductions reached 144 ktonnes of CO2e in 2019.
Our shipping operations delivered reductions of 79 ktonnes of CO2e emissions in 2019 through continued efficiency from the new oil and LNG vessels delivered in 2018.
Our greenhouse gas emissions in 2019
Despite significant sustainable emissions reductions (SERs), our overall 2019 GHG emissions increased due mainly to major acquisitions. We achieved zero net growth in our operational emissions with no offsets required against our adjusted 2015 baselinea.
Operational control
Scope 1 (direct) emissions from sites operated by bp increased by 0.4MteCO2e to 49.2MteCO2e in 2019, from 48.8MteCO2e in 2018. Emissions increases due to major acquisitions were largely balanced out by SERs of 1.4MteCO2e delivered in 2019. Scope 2 (indirect) emissions decreased by 0.2MteCO2e (3%) compared to 2018.
In our upstream businesses, emissions increased by 0.2MteCO2e (less than 1%), but we delivered sustainable emission reductions of 1.26MteCO2e in 2019.
Flaring
We achieved a decrease in upstream flaring – the controlled burning of gas during gas and oil production – for the second year running, as a result of emissions reduction activity. Flaring fell by 13% from 1.6Mte in 2018 to 1.4Mte in 2019. Angola operations were the largest single contributor to flaring reductions.
Equity share emissions
Our Scope 1 (direct) equity share emissions decreased by 0.5MteCO2e to 46.0MteCO2e in 2019 (2018 46.5MteCO2e). Emissions resulting from the BHP acquisitions were balanced out by sustainable emissions reductions and the impact of divestments. Our Scope 2 (indirect) emissions remained the same in 2019 at 5.7MteCO2e compared with 2018.
Net zero aims
We aim to be net zero across our entire operations on an absolute basis by 2050 or sooner. This aim relates to Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions. And we aim to be net zero on an absolute basis across the carbon in our upstream oil and gas production by 2050 or sooner. This is our Scope 3 aim, and is on a bp equity share basis excluding Rosneft. In 2019 these emissions were estimated to be 360MteCO2ec.
Aim 1: net zero operations
We aim to be net zero across our entire operations on an absolute basis by 2050 or sooner. This aim relates to Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions.
Aim 2: net zero oil and gas
We aim to be net zero on an absolute basis across the carbon in our upstream oil and gas production by 2050 or sooner. This is our Scope 3 aim, and is on a bp equity share basis excluding Rosneft. The carbon was equivalent to around 360Mte of emissions in 2019b.
Aim 3: halving intensity
Our aim is to cut the carbon intensity of the products we sell by 50%, by 2050 or sooner. This is a lifecycle carbon intensity approach, per unit of energy. It covers marketing sales of energy productsc and, potentially, in future, certain other products, such as those associated with land carbon projects.
Carbon intensity of our products
Our aim is to cut the carbon intensity of the products we sell by 50%, by 2050 or sooner. This is a lifecycle carbon intensity approach, per unit of energy. It covers marketing sales of energy productsd and, potentially, in future, certain other products, such as those associated with land carbon projects.
| Carbon intensity (gCO2e/MJ) | |
| Average emissions intensity of marketed energy products | 79.7 |
| Refined energy products | 93.7 |
| Gas products | 71.6 |
| Bioproduct | 28.8 |
| Power products | 43.8 |
Scope 3
There are 15 categories of Scope 3 emissions. For our industry the most important of these categories is the ‘use of sold products’ (category 11). For this category of Scope 3, we are reporting for the first time the estimated CO2 emissions from the carbon in our upstream oil and gas production. This metric replaces the ‘customer emissions’ metric, which we reported in our previous Sustainability Report because it better aligns with our new aim to be net zero across the carbon in our upstream oil and gas production. Going forward, we believe this metric will allow us to monitor and report progress against this aim.
GHG emissions
Scope 1 (direct) GHG emissionse
(operational boundary, MteCO2 equivalent)
Scope 1 (direct) GHG emissions by sourcef
(equity boundary, MteCO2 equivalent)
Scope 2 (indirect) GHG emissionse
(operational boundary, MteCO2 equivalent)
Scope 1 (direct) GHG intensityf
(equity boundary, teCO2 equivalent/unit)
a. In accordance with our zero net growth methodology, the starting GHG baseline (end of 2015) is adjusted at the end of each reporting year for any qualifying changes (this covers changes due to acquisitions, divestments, outsourcing or insourcing where the total for the year is greater than 5% of overall emissions from the previous year or is due to methodology or protocol changes).
b. Estimated CO2 emissions from the combustion of upstream production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs) on a BP equity-share basis based on bp’s net share of production, excluding bp’s share of Rosneft production and assuming that all produced volumes undergo full stoichiometric combustion to CO2.
c. Energy products include retail fuels we sell, and also include solar power sales.
d. Estimated CO2e on a lifecycle basis from the use, production and distribution of marketed energy products per unit of energy (MJ) delivered. Marketed sales are the sales we make to our customers where it is presumed the end user will use them. Customers include business to business, business to customer and business to government sales of energy products to assumed third party end users. For refined products, gas and bioproducts, it includes value chain greenhouse gas emissions on a lifecycle (“wells to tank”) basis for each energy product and estimated emissions associated with the combustion of elemental fossil carbon. Industry standard factors are applied for each energy product value chain. Please see the basis of reporting for the list of products covered at bp.com/basisofreporting.
e. Comprises 100% of emissions from activities that are operated by bp.
f. bp’s equity share data comprises 100% of emissions from subsidiaries and the percentage of emissions equivalent to our share of joint arrangements and associates, other than bp’s share of Rosneft.
g. 2018 value has been corrected to 289 from 325 tCO2e per thousand tonnes
Reducing methane emissions
We’re taking action to reduce the amount of methane that enters the atmosphere from our oil and gas operations. Methane is the primary component of natural gas and although it has a shorter lifespan in the atmosphere than CO2, it has higher global warming potential. We target a methane intensitya of 0.2%.
Aim 4: reducing methane
Our aim is to install methane measurement at all our existing major oil and gas processing sites by 2023, publish the data, and then drive a 50% reduction in methane intensity of our operations. And we will work to influence our joint ventures to set their own methane intensity targets of 0.2%.
This new aim isn’t intended to defer actions to help us reduce our methane intensity by 50% until after 2023. We want to make sure that the quantification of progress towards the reduction is informed by methane measurement at our major oil and gas processing sites. So we’re keeping up the momentum to tackle methane and working on ways to use measurement to take account of – and report verified reductions achieved before our programme of installing measurement is complete.
Throughout 2019, we continued working to reduce our operational methane emissions – from upgrades in mature production fields to the design of new technology. For example, in our US onshore business we have begun using solar instead of gas pneumatic pumps.
Working with others
We continue to work with key stakeholders on activities designed to improve detection, measurement, quantification, verification and reporting of methane emissions.
We’re taking a leadership role in addressing the methane challenge through the improvements we’ve made to our own operations, but also through collaboration with our peers, NGOs, third-party experts and academic research institutions. For example, we are part of the Collaboratory to Advance Methane Science, an industry-led group helping the oil and gas sector find the most effective strategies for cutting methane emissions.
Methane performance in 2019
a. Methane intensity refers to the amount of methane emissions from bp’s operated upstream oil and gas assets as a percentage of the total gas that goes to market from those operations. Our methodology is aligned with the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative’s (OGCI).