Shell Reports 50% Methane Emissions Reduction at Australia’s QGC Gas Operations

Shell has reported an approximately 50% reduction in methane emissions at its QGC natural gas operations in Queensland, Australia, between 2016 and the end of 2025. In an update published on 10 November 2026, the company highlighted improvements in methane monitoring, leak detection and maintenance practices across its Australian gas facilities. Globally, Shell reported a 78% reduction in total methane emissions from assets under its operational control over the same period, declining from 138,000 tonnes in 2016 to 31,000 tonnes in 2025.

At QGC, Shell uses satellites, aircraft, drones and handheld monitoring equipment to detect and measure methane emissions across approximately 3,500 production wells, 25 gas compression stations and six processing plants. Drones equipped with methane and wind sensors survey facilities to identify emissions from equipment such as valves, tanks, flanges and compressors. The measurements help operators locate leaks and prioritise repairs, reducing the amount of methane released during natural gas production and processing.

 

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Jeremy Taylor, Acoustics and Methane Advisor at Shell, said, “Combining methane readings with wind data allows you to clearly see what’s coming from a site and act with confidence, which is why the drones are so effective”. Shell has also changed its maintenance procedures to prevent unnecessary methane venting. Previously, production wells were shut down before maintenance equipment arrived, allowing pressure to accumulate and sometimes requiring gas to be released. Under the revised approach, wells remain connected to the gas gathering network at a controlled flow rate, reducing pressure build-up and limiting emissions during maintenance.

The company is also exploring artificial intelligence to analyse the growing volume of methane monitoring data and identify patterns that could improve emissions management. Dani Thompson, Performance, Carbon & Sustainability Manager at Shell, said, “AI’s real value will be in spotting patterns, supporting human decision-making, and enabling comparisons that simply were not possible before.” Shell has separately reported achieving its target to eliminate routine flaring from its upstream-operated assets in January 2025.

Methane emissions reduction remains an important climate priority for the oil and gas industry because methane has a substantially greater warming effect than carbon dioxide over shorter periods. Shell's QGC programme illustrates how improved measurement, targeted leak repairs and operational changes can help reduce emissions from existing gas infrastructure. The reported reductions are based on Shell's operational emissions data and do not represent emissions across the company's entire value chain.

 

Source: Shell