Turning “Waste” into Value: Flaring and Methane Emissions Reduction Examples

This collection of real-world examples demonstrates how flaring and methane emissions have been successfully reduced from oil and gas operations across the developing world. These cases serve as valuable illustrations of the practical approaches, strategies, and innovations that have been implemented to address a critical resource management, economic and environmental challenge.

These examples offer a foundation for understanding what has worked and how similar efforts might be replicated or scaled to achieve even greater reductions in flaring and methane emissions in the developing world.

The World Bank's Global Flaring and Methane Reduction (GFMR) Partnership stands ready to support governments and state-owned operators replicate these successes and overcome challenges they face in doing so. Through catalytic grant funding, technical assistance, and support for policy and regulatory reforms, we can help initiate the deployment of flaring and methane emissions reduction solutions and mobilize the financing necessary to accelerate progress.

For more information on the below examples or GFMR's work to reduce flaring and methane emissions, please contact us.

The Challenge

Across Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an estimated 0.5 billion cubic meters of gas is wasted every year from oil and gas operations — representing close to $90 million in annual losses for the region. In Indonesia, the national oil company Pertamina loses gas from leaks across its asset portfolio, including at PT Badak Natural Gas Liquefaction (Badak LNG) — one of the country's largest LNG facilities with a total production capacity of around 22 million tons per year.

Innovative Solutions and Technologies
LDAR survey

In December 2025, GFMR supported Pertamina with an initial leak detection and repair (LDAR) campaign at Badak LNG using specialized detection equipment capable of identifying fugitive gas (mostly methane) emissions. In under two weeks, the survey covered more than 21,000 potential emission sources and identified nearly 250 major leaks requiring repair.

Outcome

Approximately half of the leaks were repaired immediately on-site, and a further 80 were addressed in the days and weeks after, delivering a reduction of approximately 90 tonnes of methane per year, with a further 106 tonnes expected once remaining leaks are fixed — bringing the total abatement to around 196 tonnes annually from a single survey.

The survey cost less than $50,000, demonstrating a highly favorable economic outcome. At current rates, the LDAR project is achieving 1.13 kg of methane reduction per dollar spent, with a projected payback period of approximately four months once all identified repairs are completed.

Building on these results, GFMR and Pertamina are now scaling up LDAR programs across Pertamina's broader asset base — most of which is older and less sophisticated than Badak LNG — with the goal of capturing an additional 4,000 tonnes of methane in 2026. This will generate approximately $3 million, strengthening national and regional energy security.

Read the full story here and for more information on GFMR's work in Indoensia, contact us.

The Challenge

Uzbekistan's gas transmission infrastructure, operated by state-owned JSC Uztransgaz (UTG), has experienced significant deterioration due to decades of underinvestment in maintenance and repairs. Without intervention, cumulative gas losses could reach 1.75 billion cubic meters by 2030, translating into an estimated $228 million in lost revenues and a substantial source of methane emissions.

GFMR survey in Uzbekistan

Innovative Solutions and Technologies

A GFMR project is repairing major gas (mostly methane) leaks across UTG's gas transmission network while also establishing a financial facility to ensure UTG approaches the losses in a long-term, programmatic manner. The financial facility will be managed by Uzbekistan's Ministry of Economy and Finance and will be replenished through the significant savings generated from repairing the gas leaks. The project also includes providing UTG with advanced detection equipment and technical training, supporting the company in adopting and deploying internationally recognized methane emissions measurement and reporting standards, which improves transparency and accountability across its operations.

Outcome

By 2029, the project is expected to recover an estimated 47,500 metric tonnes of gas annually, ensuring this previously lost source of energy (and revenue) is used to power households and businesses across Uzbekistan. The leak repairs are projected to generate approximately $18 million in financial savings, the majority of which will be reinvested into long-term LDAR programs to continually improve network efficiency and reliability.

For more information on GFMR's work in Uzbekistan, please contact us.

Challenge

Routine flaring at the Melehia Oil Plant in Egypt’s Western Desert.

Innovative Solutions and Technologies

Agiba, a joint venture of Eni’s IEOC Production BV and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, installed a gas compression station to process, deliver, and valorize flared gas at the existing Meleiha plant, completing the project in six months through close partnership with all stakeholders involved, while leveraging thelocal capacity-building.

Outcome

Routine flaring was eliminated (approximately 0.2 MtCO₂eq/year of emissions avoided) underscoring the impact of rapid implementation and effective collaboration.

Challenge

TotalEnergies needed to eliminate routine flaring of associated gas from satellite wellhead platforms in its West African oil operations, as part of its commitment to the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 (ZRF) and the OGDC initiatives.

Innovative Solutions and Technologies
Eliminating Routine Flaring through Multiphase Export in West Africa

The asset team blended gas and oil at the wellhead separator outlet, bypassing the existing process and exporting multiphase production to a central facility, where a first stage separator acted to safely contain and separate any liquids.

Outcome

Routine flaring was successfully eliminated, resulting in an annual reduction of 330 kilotonnes of CO₂ equivalent including 1.3 kt CH4/year.

Challenge 

(Credit: BGC)
(Credit: BGC)
Whilst flaring can often be reduced by optimising existing operations, it sometimes requires substantial investments.  

Innovative Solutions and Technologies

Basrah Gas Company (BGC) in Iraq exemplifies how an innovative commercial model and long-term development plans have the potential to create transformational results. 

Outcome

Since 2013, this joint venture between Iraq’s South Gas Company, Shell and Mitsubishi, has boosted gas recovery from 250 to 1000 million standard cubic feet per day, capturing associated gas from three major oil fields that was previously (and would otherwise be) flared. This has enabled BGC to send gas to the grid in Iraq to produce approximately 3.5 GW of electricity. Additionally, through the capturing of associated gas, BGC also produces LPG and condensates; BGC currently supplies 60-70% of Iraq’s LPG demand, and since 2016 increasingly exports LPG to international markets.

Challenge

Oxy set out to tackle the pressing issue of methane emissions and routine flaring in its global oil and gas operations, aiming to reduce environmental impact in regions with complex infrastructure and operational challenges.

Innovative solutions and technologies
Case study image

Combining technical expertise in emissions monitoring with practical troubleshooting and maintenance through its “Find It, Fix It, Measure It, Predict It” program. The company shifted from calculated emission factors to advanced detection and measurement technologies, using a combination of satellites, aerial, and ground-based sensors to monitor and predict emissions.  Beyond the increased use of detection and measurement technology, the company also implemented training, inspection, parametric data, and reporting tools to more proactively predict when and where emissions occur.  This knowledge can prevent emissions from occurring and more effectively mitigate emissions. To eliminate and minimize emission sources and flaring events, the company introduced tankless facility designs, consolidated facilities, used  closed-loop gas capture systems when there are gas pipeline outages. 

Outcome 

Within 18 months, these efforts resulted in a 70 percent reduction in methane emissions across 92 sites in the Permian alone.   Globally, including projects in Oman, the company’s efforts resulted  in an 80 percent decrease in routine flaring from 2020 levels and the Unites States oil and gas operations have sustained zero routine flaring since 2020.   The actions mark significant progress toward the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 (ZRF) initiative.

The Challenge

This TotalEnergies initiative aimed to eliminate routine venting of methane from gas-driven instrumentation at remote wellhead chemical injection points in onshore South America, addressing the significant climate impact of methane emissions and sustain its near zero methane commitment.

Innovative Solutions and Technologies
Achieving Methane-Free chemical Injection in South America

Led by the Development and Operational teams, all gas driven instrumentation operating the pneumatic chemical injection skids at remote wellheads locations were switched to electric skids powered either by solar panels in off-grid locations (90%) or the grid at grid-connected locations (10%), enabling a viable transition to methane-free operations.

Outcome

Within one year, 220 chemical injection points were converted, resulting in a 100% methane emission-free chemical injection fleet, a greenhouse gas reduction of 30 ktCO2e annually, and improved production and cost efficiency.

Challenge

TotalEnergies faced the need to eliminate routine flaring from produced water treatment in its West African oil operations, in line with its commitment to the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 (ZRF) and the OGDC initiatives.

Innovative Solutions and Technologies
Reducing Emissions in Oil Operations A Model for Gas Recovery

Led by the asset team, the initiative was able to reroute low-pressure gas to a separator, enabling gas recovery and export without requiring shutdowns.

Outcome

This solution eliminated flaring from a degassing drum, resulting in an annual reduction of 6.9 kilotonnes of CO₂ equivalent and stopping the waste of 92 million standard cubic feet gas equivalent per year (MMscf)/year.

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