Estado Global de las Emisiones de Metano en el Sector de Petróleo y Gas: Síntesis de Evidencia de 54 Estudios (2010–2025)

Methane (CH₄) emissions from the oil and gas (O&G) sector are among the largest contributors to near-term climate change, with a global warming potential approximately 80 times greater than that of CO₂ over a 20-year time horizon. This working paper presents an expanded synthesis of a PRISMA 2020 systematic review that analyzed 54 primary studies (2010–2025) on the measurement, quantification, detection, and mitigation of methane emissions in the O&G sector. The findings reveal a systematic underestimation of between 50% and 100% in official emissions inventories compared with direct empirical (top-down) measurements, identify the phenomenon of "super-emitters" as the cornerstone of the most cost-effective mitigation strategies, and highlight the rapid technological evolution toward multiscale monitoring systems integrating Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) cameras, drones, satellites, and artificial intelligence (AI). Critical knowledge gaps are identified regarding emission intermittency, the accurate remote attribution of emission sources, and the limited representation of offshore and Latin American oil and gas fields, thereby informing the empirical and policy components of the METANO Project.