Gas flaring, a long-standing practice in the oil industry, has surged to its highest levels in 17 years, according to a recent report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). Despite promises from major oil companies to reduce this environmentally damaging activity, approximately 151 billion cubic meters of gas is flared annually, equivalent to the energy needs of sub-Saharan Africa. This practice significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the challenges of achieving a global green transition.
The IEA and various governments are striving to decarbonize sectors like oil extraction. The continued flaring of gas poses a threat to these efforts, undermining initiatives aimed at reducing carbon footprints. Gas flaring involves burning off natural gas that is produced alongside oil, a practice that has persisted for over 160 years due to minimal financial incentives for capturing the gas. Weak regulations have allowed this issue to endure, even as its environmental impacts become increasingly evident.
Each year, gas flaring releases around 400 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions into the atmosphere, surpassing emissions from many countries. Additionally, flaring emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is over 80 times more effective than carbon dioxide at warming the planet over a 20-year period. In light of these facts, governments and international organizations are applying mounting pressure on oil companies to halt flaring and instead capture the gas for productive uses, such as power generation.
The World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative, launched in 2015, aims to eliminate routine flaring by the end of the decade. Currently, 36 states and 60 oil and gas companies support this initiative. Similarly, the IEA has called for an end to flaring except in emergencies by 2030. According to the World Bank report, satellite data indicated that gas flaring activities resulted in an additional 389 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2024, further illustrating the scale of fuel waste and pollution.
Zubin Bamji, manager of the World Bank’s Global Flaring and Methane Reduction partnership, emphasized the need for action, stating, “Flaring is needlessly wasteful. [It’s] a missed opportunity to strengthen energy security and improve access to reliable power.” Regulatory weaknesses and poor enforcement have led many companies globally to lack motivation to invest in gas capture solutions, resulting in continued flaring practices.
The report highlights that nine countries—Russia, Iran, Iraq, the United States, Venezuela, Algeria, Libya, Mexico, and Nigeria—accounted for three-quarters of global gas flaring last year. Many of these nations have state-owned oil companies. In contrast, countries like Norway have made significant strides, with flaring intensity 18 times lower than that of the United States and 228 times lower than Venezuela.
In Canada, Alberta’s oil-producing region reported flaring levels exceeding its self-imposed limits for the second consecutive year. In 2024, Alberta flared approximately 912.7 million cubic meters of natural gas, which is 36 percent above the provincial cap of 670 million cubic meters. This flared gas, valued at around $63 billion based on last year’s EU import prices, represents a significant loss, equivalent to more than half the upfront costs needed to eliminate flaring entirely, according to the IEA.
While some countries, including Angola, Egypt, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan, have made notable reductions in gas flaring, many continue to struggle. Kazakhstan has achieved a remarkable 71 percent reduction in flaring since 2012 by implementing steep fines for non-compliance.
Despite commitments from various nations and oil companies to lessen gas flaring, the lack of stringent regulations remains a significant barrier. Without stronger global oversight, gas flaring will likely persist, further exacerbating climate change and hindering progress toward a sustainable future. The ongoing challenges of gas flaring underscore the need for decisive action from governments and industry leaders alike to avert the dire consequences of continued environmental degradation.
