A major certification program used by BP, ExxonMobil, and other gas giants to prove their US natural gas meets European emissions standards may be dramatically underestimating actual methane leaks. Field observations and satellite data from the Permian Basin reveal that facilities rated with top grades are releasing massive amounts of invisible methane that the certification process fails to capture, according to a Guardian investigation .

How Are Gas Sites Getting Perfect Grades Despite Visible Leaks?

MiQ, a London-based nonprofit, runs the world's largest voluntary methane certification program, covering about one-fifth of US natural gas production. The scheme assigns grades from A to F based on methane intensity, which measures the ratio of methane emissions to total gas produced. Facilities with A grades are supposed to have leakage rates below 0.2% of production .

However, when environmental monitoring groups visited 10 MiQ-certified sites in the Permian Basin in July 2025 using optical gas imaging cameras that detect methane invisible to the naked eye, they documented what former air quality inspectors described as "huge emissions" at multiple sites. At BP's State Ella Mae Hall gas well, cameras showed an unlit flare that appeared to be malfunctioning, "acting as a vent pipe rather than a combustion device," according to Tim Doty, a former air quality inspector at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality who reviewed the footage .

The disconnect between certified grades and actual emissions is staggering. A February 2026 report from MethaneSAT, a methane-monitoring satellite launched by the Environmental Defense Fund and Harvard in 2024, found emissions in the Permian Basin from May 2024 to June 2025 to be four times higher than the US Environmental Protection Agency's official estimates. Researchers estimate average methane emissions across the basin range between 2.4% to 4% of production, among the highest worldwide and exponentially higher than even a C grade from MiQ .

Why Does the Certification Process Miss So Much Methane?

The answer lies in how MiQ conducts its audits. To earn certification, operators are evaluated on three main criteria: a site's methane intensity, the procedures in place to prevent leaks, and the monitoring technologies deployed. Third-party auditors visit facilities to review these factors before recommending a grade .

But here's the critical gap: auditors do not calculate emissions themselves. Instead, they "review and verify the operator's emissions inventory," which is essentially an estimate of total methane emissions from a facility over a year. As Elizabeth McGurk, methane sector leader at Montrose Environmental, one of MiQ's audit firms, explained, auditors assess whether "intermittent emissions are properly accounted for through personnel interviews, documentation and evaluation of supporting calculations" .

The standard does not mandate direct measurement or the use of specific third-party datasets, nor does it require measurements to be independently collected. This means auditors are largely trusting operator-reported data rather than conducting independent verification. Audits also take place annually with advance notice, giving operators time to prepare .

How to Understand Your Exposure to Methane Emissions

• Know the source: About 60% of Europe's liquefied natural gas (LNG) now comes from US producers, and that share is expected to grow as the European Union clamps down on Russian gas imports. If you live in Europe or use products powered by imported US natural gas, you may be indirectly exposed to these higher-than-certified emissions.
• Understand methane's climate impact: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere far more effectively than carbon dioxide over short time periods. Underestimated emissions mean the climate impact of natural gas is likely worse than official figures suggest.
• Look beyond the label: When gas companies advertise "certified low-emission" or "A-rated" natural gas, the certification may not reflect actual field conditions. Ask suppliers for independent satellite or aerial monitoring data, not just operator-reported figures.

The problem extends beyond well sites. After gas leaves the well pad, it often travels just a short distance, sometimes less than 50 meters, to a nearby processing facility that is neither certified nor covered by the European Union Methane Regulation (EUMR), even though these facilities can generate emissions that rival those from well sites .

MiQ's chief executive, Georges Tijbosch, acknowledged the scrutiny, stating that "given the scale of this challenge, scrutiny in this area is essential." However, he argued that "it is scientifically impossible to conclude that these plumes are unreported methane emissions" . This defense highlights a fundamental tension: the certification scheme relies on operator-reported data, while independent satellite and aerial surveys consistently detect far larger emissions than operators report.

The stakes are high. The European Union Methane Regulation, in force since August 2024, requires energy firms to monitor, report, and verify methane emissions at drilling sites and conduct regular leak detection surveys. It will also require importers to obtain methane-intensity data from suppliers starting next year. Penalties for non-compliance include fines and other enforcement measures .

Industry groups have been lobbying for voluntary certification schemes like MiQ to suffice for compliance with the EUMR, an approach now supported by the European Commission. However, the Guardian investigation suggests that relying on voluntary certification may leave European consumers and regulators with a false sense of security about the true environmental and climate impact of imported US natural gas. Until auditing processes include independent emissions measurements and real-time monitoring, the gap between certified grades and actual methane leaks will likely persist.