"Whereas, the shale boom and lax regulation have made the U.S. the world’s fourth highest flaring nation.1 Flaring contributes 4 to 10% of total U.S. oil and gas methane emissions. Research shows methane emissions from flaring to be five times higher than currently estimated.2

60% of U.S. oil and gas flaring methane emissions are from upstream production,3 due in part to ongoing or episodic lack of midstream capacity (e.g., equipment failures or downtime), which can lead to flaring at midstream processing plants and cascade upstream, leading to flaring at production facilities. In 2021, 39% of total flared gas in the U.S. was reported to be due to midstream bottlenecks.4

Lack of alignment between the timing of new production volumes and midstream capacity is also a significant factor driving flaring.5

Stakeholder scrutiny on emissions throughout the value chain in line with net zero commitments is increasing, as supply chain venting and flaring can drive reputational, regulatory and transition risks for midstream operators.

Offering more, and more reliable, pipeline capacity to reduce upstream flaring can boost midstream revenue.

Flaring by two Targa Resources Corporation’s (“Targa”) plants during the February 2021 Texas freeze made them the state’s top emitters. The company facilities spewed nearly a fifth of the state’s total reported pollution during the incident.6

In its 2021 Sustainability report, Targa briefly mentions a focus on reducing flaring from its operations and helping its exploration and production partners and downstream customers meet their flaring and greenhouse gas intensity targets. That includes increased communication, and reliability and maintenance programs. However, Targa did not set any flaring reduction target, nor did the company provide meaningful details on how it would help its partners reach their targets."