Methane leaks could return around 200 bcm of gas annually, equivalent to twice losses from Strait of Hormuz disruptions
Energy-sector methane emissions remain near record highs despite growing global pledges
Up to 70% of emissions could be cut using existing technologies, with many measures at low or no cost
Oil, gas and coal sectors hold the largest potential for reductions, but policy action remains weak
Satellite data shows large-scale leaks, but response rates to alerts remain limited
Plugging methane leaks could return around 200 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to global markets each year over the long term, while significantly reducing emissions, according to the International Energy Agency.
This is roughly twice the volume lost due to disruptions linked to the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the agency said. The near closure of the critical passage for fuel and oil has cut nearly 20 per cent of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply.
Despite growing commitments, methane emissions from the energy sector remained close to record highs in 2025. Commitments now cover more than half of global oil and gas production, but concrete action has been limited, the IEA said.
Global coal mine methane emissions have stayed largely unchanged since 2021 despite rising coal output, reaching about 35 million tonnes in 2023, found a recent report by energy think tank Ember. Of these, 89 per cent went unreported in official inventories.
Tackling methane could improve energy security as well as reduce emissions, particularly during ongoing supply disruptions, the IEA said.
In the near term, applying available methane abatement measures in key exporting and importing countries could bring nearly 15 bcm of gas to market. Over the longer term, reducing methane emissions from oil and gas operations could deliver close to 100 bcm annually, while ending non-emergency gas flaring could unlock a further 100 bcm.
Together, these measures could offset supply losses linked to recent disruptions.
In its latest Global Methane Tracker, the IEA estimates that methane emissions from the energy sector could be reduced by nearly 70 per cent using existing technologies. Around 30 per cent of reductions could be achieved at no net cost at current energy prices, as captured gas can be sold.
Overall, available technologies could cut emissions by about 100 million tonnes, or nearly 70 per cent of current energy-sector methane output.
“This is not only a climate issue,” said IEA chief energy economist Tim Gould. “There are also major energy security benefits, especially as the world looks for additional supply during the current crisis.”
Oil and gas account for more than 60 per cent of total abatement potential, with coal and bioenergy contributing around 20 per cent each. Most low-cost mitigation options lie in upstream oil and gas operations, particularly at high-leakage sites with access to gas markets. A recent satellite analysis found that a small number of oil and gas sites account for some of the most powerful climate-warming emissions globally, with Turkmenistan emerging as the leading emitter.
The IEA added that if all countries matched Norway’s emissions intensity, methane emissions from oil and gas operations would fall by more than 90 per cent globally.
Methane emissions also come from sources beyond fossil fuel production. In 2025, inefficient burning of solid biomass for cooking and heating released around 18 million tonnes of methane, mainly in developing economies. Modern bioenergy systems contributed a further 2 million tonnes, the IEA said.
Expanding access to clean cooking, including LPG, electricity and improved stoves, could reduce emissions while improving health and livelihoods, the report underlined.
Abandoned infrastructure is another major source. Around 8 million tonnes of methane were released in 2025 from abandoned oil and gas wells and coal mines, including 4.5 million tonnes from coal mines and 3.5 million tonnes from oil and gas wells, IEA stated. Globally, there are about 8 million abandoned onshore oil and gas wells, many of which can leak methane for decades if not properly sealed.
Marginal wells are also a significant source. In the United States, they account for about 80 per cent of wells but produce less than 10 per cent of output, while contributing up to one-third of upstream methane emissions.
Coal remains a major source of methane but has received less policy attention, analysts said. Sabina Assan, methane analyst at Ember, said coal is a “low-hanging fruit” for methane reduction, but warned that regulations will only be effective with strong enforcement, independent monitoring and penalties for non-compliance.
She added that emissions from Australia’s coal sector may be underreported and called for stronger action.
In India, Ember’s climate and energy analyst Rajasekhar Modadugu said methane from coal mining has not received sufficient global attention, urging producers to use existing technologies to capture and use emissions.
In Indonesia, Dody Setiawan, senior climate and energy analyst at Ember, said the IEA ranks the country as the third-largest emitter of coal mine methane after China and Russia. He noted that emissions may be significantly underreported, with methane intensity estimated to be 12.5 times higher than current government factors, and called for improved measurement and region-specific emissions factors.
Policy ambition lags targets
Despite growing commitments, implementation remains weak. Existing policies would cut oil and gas methane emissions by about 20 per cent by 2030 and 26 per cent by 2035—well below the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) target of at least a 30 per cent reduction by 2030 from 2020 levels, the IEA said.
Coal-sector ambition is weaker, with emissions projected to fall just 12 per cent by 2030 and 22 per cent by 2035 under current policies. The GMP, launched at 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, now includes more than 150 countries, covering around 80 per cent of global fossil fuel production and over 50 per cent of anthropogenic methane emissions. However, most signatories have yet to implement concrete policies to meet the target.
Advances in satellite monitoring are improving methane detection. In 2025, satellites identified more than 5 million tonnes of methane emissions from large oil and gas events worldwide.
New high-resolution systems can detect emission sources as small as 1 tonne per hour, helping identify “super-emitters”, a small number of sources responsible for a disproportionate share of emissions.
However, response remains limited. Only about 12 per cent of alerts issued through the Methane Alert and Response System, developed by the United Nations Environment Programme, received responses in 2025.
Countries that designate official focal points respond more effectively, with response rates rising to nearly one-third of detected sources, compared to just 2 per cent where no focal point exists.
The IEA cautioned that methane estimates remain uncertain due to data gaps and differences between measurement-based and inventory-based approaches, particularly in regions where satellite coverage is limited.
Even so, the agency stressed that tackling methane is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to slow near-term warming, while simultaneously improving energy security by bringing otherwise wasted gas back into the market.