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As industries face growing pressure to reduce emissions without compromising performance, John Crane, a global leader in flow control technologies and a business of Smiths Group plc, is marking Earth Day by demonstrating how engineering is already delivering measurable environmental impact across critical operations worldwide.

From LNG plants to refineries and emerging energy systems, John Crane technologies are helping operators reduce emissions, lower energy consumption and keep essential infrastructure running safely and reliably.
This impact is not a future ambition. It is being delivered at scale today.

Delivering emissions reduction where it matters most

In high-demand energy operations, even small inefficiencies can translate into significant environmental impact. John Crane’s dry gas seals and associated systems are designed to eliminate that loss.

At a major Australian LNG facility, advanced dry gas seals have enabled a 40% reduction in emissions, while maintaining continuous uptime with zero failures since installation. So far, this has resulted in more than 100 million tonnes of carbon dioxide prevented from entering the atmosphere.

Across energy and process industries, particularly in LNG, refining and petrochemical operations, the replacement of conventional sealing systems with dry gas seals can reduce fugitive emissions by up to 98%, while also improving operational efficiency.

Reducing operational footprint through better engineering 

Innovation at John Crane is focused on solving real operational challenges, reducing resource consumption while improving performance.

The latest Type 93AX coaxial separation seal reduces nitrogen consumption by up to 80% compared to traditional designs, lowering energy use and the associated emissions footprint of compression systems. 

At the same time, technologies such as seal gas recovery systems are helping operators move closer to near-zero emissions by capturing process gases that would otherwise be vented to the atmosphere. 

These are not incremental gains. They are engineered improvements that deliver both operational and environmental benefits.

Engineering impact at scale

Over the past decade, John Crane's technologies have prevented millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere, while ongoing retrofit and performance improvement programmes are reducing approximately 278,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions every year.

Supporting the systems underpinning the energy transition

As industries invest in lower-carbon energy systems, the performance and reliability of pump and compression systems becomes critical.

John Crane is supporting carbon capture, hydrogen and sustainable fuel applications, where safe containment, efficiency and uptime are essential to making these systems viable at scale.

In geothermal and other emerging applications, John Crane technologies are enabling continuous operations in demanding environments, helping unlock more stable, lower-carbon energy sources.

Reliability as a driver of sustainability

For many operators, the fastest way to reduce emissions is not to replace assets, but improving how they perform, minimising leakage, reducing energy use and keeping critical systems running reliably.

Through its global service network and John Crane Performance Plus™ programme, John Crane helps customers extend equipment life, reduce unplanned downtime and minimise waste.

Digital solutions such as John Crane Sense® Turbo provide near real-time monitoring of mechanical seal performance, enabling better decision-making, avoiding unnecessary shutdowns and reducing maintenance-related emissions.

This focus on reliability directly translates into lower environmental impact through reduced leakage, lower energy use and more efficient operations.

Engineering impact at scale

 “Reducing emissions in industry comes down to how systems perform in the real world,” said Mike Eason, Chief Technology Officer at John Crane.

“Our focus is on helping customers cut emissions while keeping critical operations running safely and reliably. Whether that’s preventing gas leakage, reducing energy use or extending the life of essential equipment, the impact is measurable, and it’s happening at scale today.”

From performance to progress

Alongside supporting customers, John Crane continues to reduce its own operational carbon footprint.

Over the past decade, the business has achieved a more that 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, with 72% of its energy now sourced from renewable sources, and a commitment to reach net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040, and Scope 3 by 2050.

This progress is being delivered through practical initiatives, including its global Turn it Off energy campaign and site-level efficiency programmes, which identify and implement energy-saving opportunities across operations worldwide.

While its own carbon footprint continues to reduce, John Crane's greatest impact remains in enabling its customers to operate more efficiently at scale.

Because for John Crane, sustainability is not a standalone initiative. It is the result of better engineering, applied where it matters most, inside the systems the world depends on every day.