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We seek to mitigate emissions from our operations while continuing to meet the world’s energy demands. Natural gas offers the cleanest burning fossil fuel and has played an important role in helping reduce U.S. CO2 emissions to near 20-year lows.

Greenhouse gas emissions

Overall, the benefits of natural gas in reducing greenhouse gas emissions are clear. Natural gas is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel, and emits up to 60 percent less COthan coal when used for electricity. 

For this reason, the abundant supplies of natural gas produced by XTO Energy and others has contributed to a reduction in U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions to levels not seen since the 1990s as electric utilities have switched from coal to natural gas for power generation. Remarkably, the country has achieved these environmental gains even as the economy has grown by 60 percent. The abundant supplies of natural gas coming from America’s shale fields have positioned the U.S. to be a net exporter of natural gas, which can mean lower emissions worldwide.



After drilling and completion of a new well, our workers prepare the production equipment for decades of operation. A key part of these preparations is to ensure that the natural gas product is contained by the production equipment. In several areas where XTO operates, we utilize optical gas imaging cameras to locate equipment leaks that would otherwise be invisible, which allows us to detect leaks and make repairs.



Local / Ambient air

Unconventional resources development operations require the use of over the road and non-road mobile machinery and stationary machinery that result in local or ambient air emissions. Heavy mobile equipment is required to construct the well pad, many truckloads may be required to provide water for drilling and hydraulic fracturing as well as to remove waste water, and engines burning diesel or natural gas are typically required to power the drilling rig and hydraulic fracturing operations. Compressor stations, necessary to transfer gas to interstate trunk lines for sales, also can require large natural gas fueled engines that power compressors.

XTO addresses these localized air emissions in a variety of ways. Initially, federal standards for mobile engines must be met through a given state’s vehicle emissions testing program, or manufacturer certification of emissions. Where stationary equipment is proposed to be installed, an evaluation of air permit requirements is conducted and any required federal, state or local air permits are obtained before operations begin. These permits typically contain limits for various air pollutants that are based on government air standards derived from health criteria. Permit conditions and control requirements vary based on specific stationary equipment, site emission totals, location, and state rules specific to the oil and gas industry sector.