Ghana could risk access to European gas export markets if it does not strengthen measures to control methane emissions and eliminate routine gas flaring, Dr Kwame Sarkodie, a petroleum engineering expert, has cautioned.

He said evolving methane regulations in international markets, particularly the European Union, were creating new requirements for oil and gas-producing countries and could affect Ghana’s competitiveness if it failed to improve emissions monitoring and reduction.

Dr Sarkodie of the Department of Petroleum Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), was speaking at a Technical Consultative Workshop organised by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC).

It was on the theme: “Building a Resilient Gas Economy: Collaborative Strategies to Ensure an Efficient Gas Value Chain.”

He said Ghana needed to treat the elimination of routine gas flaring as both an environmental and economic priority.

“If Ghana does not enforce zero routine flaring and eliminate emissions, we risk losing access to the European export markets and facing higher capital costs from international investors,” he said.

Dr Sarkodie’s caution comes as the European Union implements its methane regulation, which requires progressively stronger monitoring, reporting and verification of methane emissions associated with imported crude oil, natural gas and coal. 

The EU's rules also introduce methane-intensity requirements for certain import contracts from 2030.

Dr Sarkodie said Ghana was already losing substantial economic value through gas flaring.

Citing recent disclosures by PIAC, he noted that about 28.5 million units of gas, representing approximately 10.4 per cent of raw gas produced, had been flared in a single year.

He estimated the value of the lost energy at about $170 million, saying the resource could instead have been used to support industries or reduce pressures within the energy sector.

He said the Petroleum Commission had set a target of eliminating routine gas flaring from Ghana's oil fields by 2026.

“Ending routine flaring is not just an environmental imperative; it's an urgent economic necessity,” he added.

The caution is consistent with Ghana's ongoing efforts to reduce routine flaring. The Petroleum Commission has previously said the country was working towards reducing or eliminating routine flaring by 2026 and improving methane measurement.

Dr Sarkodie said methane was becoming increasingly important in international oil and gas markets because of its high global-warming potential and the tightening requirements being introduced by major markets.

Under the emerging EU requirements, international buyers would demand credible measurement, reporting and verification of methane intensity.

The European Commission says importers will be required from January 2027 to demonstrate that imported oil and gas come from jurisdictions with methane monitoring, reporting and verification requirements equivalent to EU standards or specified international standards. 

From August 2028, importers will have to report methane intensity, while methane-intensity limits will apply to specified contracts from August 2030.

Dr Sarkodie, therefore, urged Ghana to strengthen its emissions monitoring systems and ensure that operators complied with measures to prevent routine flaring and methane leakage. He said failure to adapt to the changing regulatory environment could have consequences beyond environmental compliance, affecting Ghana's ability to attract investment and participate competitively in international energy markets