1 1 Releases of mercury from the oil and gas industry UNEP(DTIE)/Hg/INC.3/5 – A request from INC 2 –

UNEP(DTIE)/Hg/INC.3/5 Releases of mercury from the oil and gas industry 2 Information was requested from governments - submissions were received from 4 countries Additional information gathering included obtaining information in the public domain and requesting information from non-governmental organizations. Technical information in the document was reviewed by those submitting information as well as recognized experts. The document includes an overview of the current knowledge of emissions and releases from the oil and gas sector, along with a consideration of how this may be considered by the committee. A detailed presentation of available technical information is annexed to the document.

UNEP(DTIE)/Hg/INC.3/5 Releases of mercury from the oil and gas industry Document breakdown: Background I) Mercury releases and emissions in the oil and gas industry: geographical distribution II) Measures to address mercury in the oil and gas sector, including control technologies and national and regional controls

UNEP(DTIE)/Hg/INC.3/5 Releases of mercury from the oil and gas industry Key messages Levels of mercury present in oil and gas are extremely variable, both between and within geographical areas. In general, average mercury levels are relatively low, although some reported values have been extremely high. Large variability in mercury content may lead to a greater need for controls where mercury levels are high. The production of natural gas and of feedstocks for use in manufacturing chemicals already requires mercury removal for operational reasons – including to prevent corrosion, the poisoning of catalysts and the contamination of products, and for health and safety reasons. Various control technologies for use in oil and gas processing exist and are available to reduce mercury emissions and releases.