Vented into the atmosphere, methane is a potent greenhouse gas 21 times stronger than CO2. But captured in the pipe, methane is worth a lot of money.

Devon Energy recently spent $15,000 to capture methane from a new natural gas well in the Wamsutter area as part of a pilot program. It then sold that methane for $35,000, making a quick net gain of $20,000.

"We're trying to promote this in the industry not just as a way to reduce emissions, but to put (methane) in the pipeline so we can sell it and make money. It's a win-win for everybody," said Ronald D. Truelove, environmental health and safety manager for Devon Energy's Western Division.

Devon hosted a technology exchange workshop in Casper on Tuesday, showcasing its work with the Environmental Protection Agency's Natural Gas STAR program. The volunteer program encourages companies to reduce methane emissions throughout the nation's natural gas production, processing, transportation and distribution system.

Truelove said the biggest opportunity to reduce emissions is when completing a new well. When a well is first drilled and treated for production, there is usually a large volume of sand, water, methane and various condensate material that must be cleared out of the system before it is tied to a pipeline for sale on the market.

Methane is not a regulated greenhouse emission, so the oil and gas industry usually vents the gas into the atmosphere. Sometimes the gas is ignited, which is called flaring. Don Robinson of ICF Consulting, which is involved in the STAR program, estimates that 45.5 billion cubic feet of gas is lost in this manner every year.

By capturing that methane, and associated petroleum condensates that can also be sold, the industry could save $145 million on well-completions alone, Robinson said.

"There's a lot of potential money out there that can drive something different, and that something different is 'green completions,"' Robinson said.

Devon, BP and others are developing so-called "green completion" systems that consist of a vessel that captures sands and solids, a three-phase separator and several fluid vessels. BP tested its first mobile unit in New Mexico at cost of $1.4 million, said Robinson. The company used it on 106 well completions, recovered 350 million cubic feet (Mmcf) of gas and 6,700 barrels of petroleum condensate per year, and in two years the $1.4 million investment had reaped more than $1.6 million.

"Now BP can rent it out to others," said Robinson.

Truelove said one of his favorite aspects of the STAR program is that it is voluntary.

"It's a great pilot for other voluntary programs because it shows that you don't need command and control regulations," said Truelove.

To find out more about the EPA's Natural Gas STAR program, go to http://www.epa.gov/gasstar/index.htm.

Energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer can be reached at (307) 682-3388 or dzeffertrib.com.