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There is already incentive for the private operators to not lose these gases during production or transmission as it cuts into their margins. This is like leaving money on the table.

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That's not necessarily true, though, if capturing it costs more than just letting it leak.

I am not saying there are really no bad or incompetent actors.. but it costs the industry $2 billion per year because of these loses.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/21/climate/methane-leaks.htm...

And if they could fix that for $1B/year, they'd do so.

Instead, you can find industry groups quoted in that article complaining about the study.

The problem is that, given the greenhouse forcing, those leaks will arguably cost society much more than a few $billion per year. It's just that the gas industry isn't legally responsible for that. And that's why they don't want to stop the leaks.

Many companies don't do shit as long as they operate with a profit.

What happens often is that s small player seizes the opportunity and then gets bought.

Maybe there are regulations that keep smaller and / or separate entities from acting in this regard.

Then why are they letting it continue to escape? Proof is in the pudding.

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