Vernon H. Schievelbein

Global Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions Inventory Method

An emissions inventory is a powerful, multipurpose tool used by regulators, public-interest groups, and other stakeholders in the environmental protection arena. Given the growing conviction that market-based approaches are more effective than command-and-control regulations, inventories will increasingly be used to influence the behavior of companies in the marketplace. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and other greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions are becoming important elements in the emissions inventory Under the Framework Convention for Climate Change and now the Kyoto Protocol, emissions inventory of nations, as well as of the regulated community, will come under additional scrutiny when emissions targets and timetables have to be met once the protocol is put in place. Data accuracy and consistency and the cost and timing of delivery of data from Texacos worldwide business units (BUs) were important considerations in the selection of the companys emissions inventory method. This method is based primarily on the coupling of emissions factors with fuel or product throughput or with equipment-component count. The emissions source list is comprehensive, and, in some cases, the emissions factors used are based on more recent source measurements with greater accuracy. This paper describes the basis for generation of a worldwide emissions inventory for the company.