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Oil patch wants ‘flexibility’ on coming methane cuts or says jobs are at risk

File.
File. AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File

The group that lobbies for Canada’s energy industry says thousands of jobs are at risk unless it gets flexibility implementing new rules on cutting a major greenhouse gas.

READ MORE: U.S. rejection of methane limit spooks Canadian oilpatch

Tim McMillan, with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, says industry shares the goals of upcoming regulations aimed at reducing methane emissions by 45 per cent.

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But he says energy producers should be allowed to determine which inspections would do the most good.

READ MORE: Scientists discover high volume of methane emissions at B.C. oil and gas facilities

He says methane cuts would be easier in some parts of the oil patch than others and industry should be allowed to take the most cost-effective approach.

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Ottawa wants to see more frequent inspections and the same rules applying to all parts of the industry — something the association says would cost 7,000 jobs.

READ MORE: Federal government releases details of delayed methane reduction plan 

Methane is a greenhouse gas released during oil and gas extraction considered to be 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

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