Is the Norwegian oil and gas industry ready for the methane requirements?

In the EU, the first deadline for reporting quantified methane emissions at the source level for operated assets has already passed on February 5, 2026. At the same time, there is still uncertainty about how the EU's methane regulation will be incorporated into the EEA Agreement and have direct applicability for Norwegian operators.

But one thing is less uncertain:
Norwegian oil and gas sold into the EU will face new documentation requirements for methane emissions, regardless of when or if the methane regulation is incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

According to current regulations, EU importers from January 1, 2027, must be able to document that oil and gas from contracts entered into or renewed after August 4, 2024, are subject to monitoring, reporting, and verification at the producer level that corresponds to the requirements of the methane regulation. For older contracts, there is a requirement to make reasonable efforts to obtain equivalent documentation. The EU Commission is currently considering postponing parts of the import requirements by one year due to the uncertain energy situation, but any postponement will change the timing, not the MRV requirement itself.

For Norwegian producers, the question may therefore be less:
"Will the methane regulation become part of the EEA Agreement?"
and more:
"Are we prepared for the documentation requirements our customers in the EU will face?"

Have we identified the main emission sources?
Do we have good enough data at the source level?
Do we have measurements at the facility level that can be compared with the emission inventory?
And can the data be documented and verified by an independent third party?

There is regulatory uncertainty at this time, but waiting may be a poor strategy.

Ecoxy AS is working on emission measurements and independent verification, and closely follows the development of the methane regulation. Please feel free to contact us for a professional discussion if you are wondering how the requirements may impact your business.