Carbon dioxide, methane and black carbon emissions from upstream oil and gas flaring in the United States

Carbon dioxide, methane and black carbon (BC) emissions from flaring during oil and gas production and processing contribute to the greenhouse gas footprints of fossil fuels. In the United States, more than 20,000 flares in the oil and natural gas supply chains emit an estimated 20–21 million metric tons in CO 2 equivalents (CO 2 e) of greenhouse gases per year, accounting for 9% of the greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector. Less than 100 flares are estimated to account for more than half of the total emissions based on current reporting. Estimated emissions of methane and black carbon due to flaring have high degrees of uncertainty, which could be reduced through additional measurements.