Emissions Measurement Professionals

Emissions measurement professionals support the energy industry through emissions data collection, tracking, analysis and reporting. This can be done by helping to develop and monitor a company’s carbon strategy. Another way is to support improved emissions performance using knowledge of operations and facilities. These professionals help companies set up measurement and record-keeping systems and processes. This is an important first step for companies that want to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve air quality and other ways to minimize their carbon footprint.

Emissions Measurement Professionals need to stay on top of federal and provincial regulations and policies to reduce emissions. This helps companies comply with these regulations and demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility.

Each company has a different approach to emissions management – it can be internally developed systems, or third-party emissions management software. Part of an Emissions Measurement Professional’s responsibility is to manage the company-specific system and data. These systems identify the best ways to understand, quantify, monitor, and verify GHG emissions.

You might like this career if you enjoy working with a complex set of rules and standards and investigating and developing solutions. Other interests include environmental, process or chemical technologies and sustainability solutions. If you are interested in joining this emerging field, it will give you central role in the sustainability of the energy industry. There are diverse opportunities across Canada’s energy industry to contribute to sustainability and environmental protection.

Established Energy Sectors:

Oil and Gas
Offshore Oil and Gas
Oil Sands
Energy Services
Pipelines
Refining

Emerging Energy Sectors:

Biofuels
Hydrogen
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

What Emissions Measurement Professionals Do

Measure, Classify, and Track

Emissions Measurement Professionals apply their data management skills to a company’s GHG emissions. This includes keeping track of GHG inventories and sources. They evaluate GHG risks and opportunities. They perform quantification of emissions and apply their evaluations to government reporting. The reports help to determine whether GHG reductions are necessary for compliance or strategic purposes.

Evaluate Responses to Identified GHG Risks and Opportunities

Emissions Measurement Professionals are focused on emissions data management, tracking and identifying opportunities to reduce GHG emissions. They help to develop reduction targets and action plans. These plans consider information about operational processes, technology solutions, costs, risk, regulations and impacts to communities.

Put Action Plans in Motion and Track Performance.

Emissions Measurement Professionals track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of action plans. By measuring and tracking the KPIs, these professionals help companies account for emissions from their facilities and operations. These KPI’s help companies achieve reduction targets and compliance.

Assess Performance of GHG Emissions Reduction Activities

Emissions Measurement Professionals report on how well the GHG reductions compare to the targets or goals. Companies invest money and time to meet these targets. It’s important for the companies to know if their investments are worth it. The Emissions Measurement Professionals help companies see the results of their efforts. To do this, they set up systems and company controls for monitoring and managing GHG emissions data and KPIs. They provide advice to their companies on ways to address performance gaps.

Prepare GHG Emissions Reports.

Emissions Measurement Professionals prepare mandatory regulatory reports. These professionals analyze federal, provincial, and international regulatory programs. They also prepare voluntary reports set up by the company. Their activities contribute to company sustainability reporting. This allows them to bring important information into the company’s responses to government. They also use the data to help form the company’s compliance strategy, which is a plan for meeting government targets for GHG emissions reduction.

Key Skills and Abilities Emissions Measurement Professionals Need

This chart shows the skills, certifications, and personal attributes Emissions Measurement Professionals need to enter and advance in the energy industry. Each occupation, job level, and responsibility will require a different mix of these skills and abilities.

Emissions Measurement Careers in the Energy Industry

There are different types of education requirements for the emissions measurement career. Entry to a career as an Emissions Measurement Professional usually starts with relevant education or education combined with relevant job experience. These careers require technical knowledge from other disciplines.

The chart shows how roles and educational requirements change for each career level. As you advance in your career, your education and experience can help you move across the various sectors of the energy industry. Roles described below are generally consistent across all energy sectors.

Education Levels & Areas of Study

Minimum education and/or experience typically required:

Combinations of education and experience are supplemented by additional on-the-job learning and specialized certifications

1 – 3-year college diploma

4-year university degree

Specialized micro-credential courses to supplement experience and education

Minimum education and/or experience typically required:

Combinations of education and experience are supplemented by additional on-the-job learning and specialized certifications

1 – 3-year college diploma

4-year university degree

Specialized micro-credential courses to supplement experience and education

Minimum education and/or experience typically required:

Combinations of education and experience are supplemented by additional on-the-job learning and specialized certifications

4-year university degree

Specialized micro-credential courses to supplement experience and education

Types of Careers

Biological and environmental science
Engineer—environmental or other disciplines
Technologist – environmental or other disciplines
Environment, health, and safety
Finance/business analyst
Regulatory/policy analyst
Data analysis and management

Environmental Emissions Specialist
Greenhouse Gas Project Manager
Emissions Consultant

Environmental Engineer
Senior Environment and Regulatory Advisor/Consultant
Environment and Regulatory Manager/Director
Sustainability Manager/Director

Career Level

Education Levels & Areas of Study

Minimum education and/or experience typically required:

Combinations of education and experience are supplemented by additional on-the-job learning and specialized certifications

1 – 3-year college diploma

4-year university degree

Specialized micro-credential courses to supplement experience and education

Types of Careers

Biological and environmental science
Engineer—environmental or other disciplines
Technologist – environmental or other disciplines
Environment, health, and safety
Finance/business analyst
Regulatory/policy analyst
Data analysis and management

Education Levels & Areas of Study

Minimum education and/or experience typically required:

Combinations of education and experience are supplemented by additional on-the-job learning and specialized certifications

1 – 3-year college diploma

4-year university degree

Specialized micro-credential courses to supplement experience and education

Types of Careers

Environmental Emissions Specialist
Greenhouse Gas Project Manager
Emissions Consultant

Education Levels & Areas of Study

Minimum education and/or experience typically required:

Combinations of education and experience are supplemented by additional on-the-job learning and specialized certifications

4-year university degree

Specialized micro-credential courses to supplement experience and education

Types of Careers

Environmental Engineer
Senior Environment and Regulatory Advisor/Consultant
Environment and Regulatory Manager/Director
Sustainability Manager/Director

Transferring Emissions Measurement Skills from One Energy Sector to Another

There are core skills and knowledge that all Emissions Measurement Professionals need for their careers. These building blocks are needed in all energy sectors and for all specializations.

The building blocks are:

Company processes and products, their emission sources, and methods of reduction
Estimation of emissions and maintaining and validating calculations and data for reporting requirements
Emissions regulations and policies and government and internal reporting requirements
Carbon accounting and credit management including offsets and carbon taxes
Company sustainability goals and ESG (environment, social and governance) risk management

The following interactive tool presents the core skills and knowledge as building blocks. It will also identify evolving skills needed to address the needs in each energy sector. Each energy sector uses the building blocks in similar ways.

New entrants to an emissions measurement career can use the tool to understand the building block skills needed to work in sectors across the energy industry. Experienced Emissions Measurement Professional can use the tool to explore how each building block is applied across the energy sectors.

How to Use the Tool

Click on a building block
Click on a sector
Read about how that skill can be used in a specific sector

Company processes and products, their emission sources, and methods of reduction
Estimation of emissions and maintaining and validating calculations and data for reporting requirements
Emissions regulations and policies and government and internal reporting requirements
Company sustainability goals and ESG (environment, social and governance) risk management

Company processes and products, their emission sources, and methods of reduction

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

upstream oil and gas production
power generation
processing operations

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

bitumen mining and in-situ) extraction
power generation
processing operations
remediation and reclamation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in services for energy producers:

drilling, completing and servicing wells
transportation services
combustion of fuel
purchases of electricity

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

compressor stations
pipeline transmission
power generation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

hydrogen processing facilities
use of hydrogen:
- power generation
- transportation fuel
- other uses

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

drilling and completion of CO2 injection wells
carbon capture facilities
storage of CO2
production of low-carbon electricity and hydrogen

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

natural gas liquefication
storage
transportation
re-gasification processes
power generation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

oil refining processes
transportation
power generation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

Refining, petrochemical processing, and carbon capture technologies
Feedstock production, handling, and processing
Storage and transportation of feedstock to refinery (by pipeline, tanker, rail, etc.)
Power generation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Company processes and products, their emission sources, and methods of reduction

Select to learn how these skills can be applied across energy sectors

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

upstream oil and gas production
power generation
processing operations

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

bitumen mining and in-situ) extraction
power generation
processing operations
remediation and reclamation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in services for energy producers:

drilling, completing and servicing wells
transportation services
combustion of fuel
purchases of electricity

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

compressor stations
pipeline transmission
power generation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

hydrogen processing facilities
use of hydrogen:
- power generation
- transportation fuel
- other uses

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

drilling and completion of CO2 injection wells
carbon capture facilities
storage of CO2
production of low-carbon electricity and hydrogen

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

natural gas liquefication
storage
transportation
re-gasification processes
power generation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

oil refining processes
transportation
power generation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Sources of GHG emissions and methods to reduce them in:

Refining, petrochemical processing, and carbon capture technologies
Feedstock production, handling, and processing
Storage and transportation of feedstock to refinery (by pipeline, tanker, rail, etc.)
Power generation

Setting up and managing an emissions Inventory

Work with operations personnel to implement emissions management technologies and process solutions

Estimation of emissions and maintaining and validating calculations and data for reporting requirements

Understanding ways to measure and estimate volume and composition of GHG emissions from oil and gas production