Reducing methane emissions is no longer just a climate obligation imposed by European policies, but is increasingly emerging as an economic opportunity for operators in the energy sector. This is one of the key conclusions of the round table organized in Bucharest, which highlighted Romania’s strategic role in implementing the new European Regulation on methane and the concrete potential for efficiency and economic gains associated with it.

Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after CO₂ and is responsible for about one-third of current global warming. That is why Regulation (EU) 2024/1787 requires a paradigm shift: from statistical estimates to actual, accurate, and verifiable measurements of emissions from the oil, natural gas, and coal sectors. For Romania, the largest natural gas producer in the European Union and one of the oldest players in the oil industry, this transition has major economic and strategic relevance.

International experts participating in the discussions emphasized that numerous methane reduction measures are not only technically feasible, but also extremely attractive from a financial standpoint. Data from the International Energy Agency show that programs such as leak detection and repair (LDAR) or the installation of vapor recovery units can, under certain conditions, generate exceptionally high internal rates of return, reaching 150–300% in some cases. Nearly 30% of the industry’s methane emissions can be avoided through measures that exceed 25% cost-effectiveness thresholds, demonstrating that reducing methane means simultaneously protecting the environment, increasing operational efficiency, and reducing commercial gas losses.

From the perspective of the authorities and the industry, the implementation of the regulation is seen as a priority, but also as a process that must be carefully calibrated. Romania starts with a competitive advantage given by its historical experience and current position in gas and oil production, but success will depend on institutional capacity, access to quality data, and cooperation between all stakeholders. A rigid or rushed transposition, without a realistic timetable, risks creating undue pressure on operators and affecting the sector’s investment attractiveness.

In this context, the recommendations made by experts converge in several key directions. First, it is necessary to build a clear national implementation framework that defines responsibilities for inspections, monitoring, reporting, and sanctions. At the same time, the integration of modern technologies—from satellite data to direct measurements and LDAR programs—must lead to a coherent and credible picture of actual emissions. Equally important is close collaboration between authorities, operators, academia, non-governmental organizations, and international experts in a joint effort to learn and adapt. Last but not least, experts insisted on a proactive and transparent approach: reducing methane is not just a compliance obligation, but a tool for increasing energy efficiency and strengthening public confidence in the energy transition.

These conclusions were discussed at a round table hosted on December 9 by the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies (ASE), organized as part of the European project “Implementing the EU Methane Emission Regulation (I-MER) in Romania and Czechia”, coordinated by ASE Bucharest (FABIZ). The event brought together representatives of the European Commission, the International Energy Agency, national authorities, the energy industry, and civil society, confirming that methane reduction is a test of maturity for energy and climate policies in Romania and, at the same time, a real opportunity for modernization and competitiveness for the sector.