In news regarding methane this week, a group of non-profit organisations has identified Mexican oil and gas companies as lagging behind in efforts to curb methane leakages from their operations.

Although Mexican government regulations require oil and gas companies to identify and measure their methane emissions, as well as plan for their prevention and control, the Mexican Methane Emissions Observatory found that only 7% of regulated entities have submitted at least some of the required documents. This follows satellite detection last year of two “vast” methane leaks (in the words of Reuters) from an offshore platform in Mexican waters. Adrian Fernandez, of the Mexico Climate Initiative, one of the three non-profit organisations forming the Observatory, pointed out that “in the oil and gas sector the technology [to curb methane emissions] already exists, and is accessible”.

Mexico is estimated to be the 10^th largest national emitter of the highly potent greenhouse gas.