Emissions

Environmental, Social, and Governance

Emissions

Emissions from our operations vary by business segment. Our air emissions generally result from mining activities, crude oil storage tanks, marine vessels, combustion sources, and crude oil and natural gas transportation. Our air permitting and compliance program manages applicable regulated emissions using the various methods mentioned below:

  • Maintaining a robust permitting and compliance program for operational activities
  • Tracking permit requirements and deadlines in a compliance tracking system
  • Calculating annual emissions as required by federal and state regulations
  • Reviewing plans for modifications to facilities and operations to determine whether permitting is required
  • Using control technology when feasible to reduce emissions
  • Operating all of our marine vessel engines and generators to meet Tier 3 standards, using low sulfur diesel, which meets IMO 2020 standards
  • Phasing out Ozone Depleting Substances from marine vessel A/C units

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Scope 1 and 2 emissions for our operations are shown in our ESG Performance Table. Calculations were performed in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Protocol by a third-party consultant. We intend to continue to track and analyze this data in the future. See our ESG Performance Table to view our Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

ESG Performance Table

Energy Transition

We recognize that the energy transition is an important topic for our investors.  We continue to look for ways to position ourselves to operate and participate in a lower carbon world.

Our offshore pipeline transportation segment has one of the largest pipeline networks in the Deepwater area of the Gulf of Mexico, which are some of the least emission intensive barrels, from reservoir to refinery, of any barrel refined and consumed in the United States.

We expect our soda ash business to increase its participation in renewable energy markets in the future by producing a resource used in the production of LEED certified glass windows to retro-fit older buildings; manufacturing of glass for solar panels; and the production of lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide (some of the building blocks of lithium ion/phosphate batteries used in both the electrification of vehicles and long-term battery storage).

Our Sulfur Services business continues to help its host refineries lower their emissions by processing hydrogen sulfide gas streams using our proprietary, closed-loop, non-combustion technology to remove sulfur from refiner’s hydrogen sulfide gas stream.  In addition, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) is used by our customers to help further reduce air emissions from various chemical and industrial activities. For example, NaHS is used to remove nitrogen oxide (NOx) from the emissions stacks of certain activities around metal refining and finishing.

NaHS and soda ash are also both used in flue gas scrubbing to remove harmful particulates from what would have otherwise been released into the atmosphere. This is especially used at large industrial complexes and hydrocarbon-fired power plants.