Environmental cleanups to reduce carbon emissions have emerged as a fixture powered by an annual budget of up to C$40 million ($32 million) for top Canadian natural gas producer, Tourmaline Oil Corp.

Aeco July 29

The agenda announced as part of its quarterly results includes cutting diesel motor use, methane leak control, paring down natural gas plant emissions, waste heat recovery and water management. 

Corporate carbon emissions have been cut by 250,000 tons/year to date, the Calgary firm said.

Most of the environment-related capital investments eyed “do generate a modest positive return, albeit not as strong” as the exploration and production investments concentrated in the Montney Shale, management said.

Rising production and prices as the Covid-19 pandemic began to fade have...