EPA’s Regulation for Oil and Gas Sector Methane Emissions

In December, 2023, EPA issued a final rule to reduce emissions of methane and other harmful air pollution from oil and natural gas operations — including, for the first time, from existing sources nationwide. The final action includes New Source Performance Standards to reduce methane and smog-forming volatile organic compounds from new, modified and reconstructed sources. It also includes Emissions Guidelines, which set procedures for states to follow as they develop plans to limit methane from existing sources. The new rules aim to prevent an estimated 58 million tons of methane emissions by 2038, equivalent to all the carbon dioxide emitted by the power sector in 2021.

Previous drafts of the rule, uploaded to this site as they were published, are included below.

In November 2021, EPA the first proposed rule on this subject was published. Under the proposed requirements:

• Well sites with estimated emissions of 3 tons per year or more must monitor for leaks using optical gas imaging (OGI) or Method 21 quarterly and promptly repair any leaks found. EPA estimates sites emitting 3 tons or more per year are responsible for approximately 86 percent of all fugitive emissions from well sites. Once fully implemented, EPA projects that this proposed program will require routine monitoring at 300,000 well sites nationwide. Well sites with estimated emissions of less than 3 tons per year must promptly conduct a survey (and perform repairs as needed) to demonstrate they are free of leaks or malfunctions but are not required to undertake ongoing monitoring.
• All new and existing compressor stations would monitor and repair leaks at least once every three months.
• EPA’s proposal would require all new and existing pneumatic controllers at production, processing, and transmission and storage facilities, to have zero methane and VOC emissions, with the exception of sites in Alaska that do not have power. The proposal also would regulate emissions from intermittent vent pneumatic controllers for the first time.
• EPA’s proposal would eliminate venting of associated gas from oil wells and require owners and operators to route the gas to a sales line where available.
• EPA’s proposal would strengthen requirements for storage tanks by adding tank batteries (groups of tanks that are adjacent and receive fluids from the same source) to the definition of facilities that must reduce VOC and methane emissions.