Current Status and Enlightenment of Overseas Oil and Gas Upstream Carbon Emission Accounting System

Carbon accounting is the basis of carbon emission reduction and carbon management. Through the elaboration and analysis of the current carbon emission accounting system, carbon emission accounting process, and practices of international and domestic oil and gas companies, three characteristics of the current carbon accounting of international oil and gas companies are clarified, and four specific understandings and suggestions are put forward to support carbon accounting of overseas upstream projects of Chinese oil and gas companies. There are already several mature carbon accounting systems in the world. International oil and gas companies have formed a unified carbon accounting method within their companies, and actively proceed with carbon accounting. The characteristics of carbon accounting work of international oil and gas companies are as follows: carbon accounting methods of international oil and gas companies are formed by integrating of multiple systems; the scope 1 and 2 emissions are relatively consistent, while the scope 3 differ greatly; shareholders and the community are concerned about promoting the continuous improvement of carbon accounting disclosure. Chinese oil and gas companies started relatively late and have made remarkable achievements with their efforts in recent years. However, there is still a long way to go to catch up with international oil and gas companies in carbon accounting, and need to learn from them. The following suggestions are put forward for carbon accounting of overseas projects of Chinese oil and gas companies: attach great importance to the construction of carbon emission system; Strengthen the acquisition and detection of basic data; Strengthen the linkage of the whole industrial chain; Establish a green and low-carbon corporate image.