Regulatory Summaries
Even for the most senior energy professionals, staying on top of changes in the oil and gas industry is a daunting task. We’ve created these regulatory summaries of the most relevant updates to provide you with clear and accessible insights into the latest rules and compliance requirements.
Stay informed and keep your operations aligned with regulations.
GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Reporting Rule Subpart W Amendments
Regulation: 40 CFR 98 Subpart W
Finalized: May 14, 2024, Corrections September 4, 2024
Effective: 2025 Reporting Year
Key Highlights:
- New requirements for facility-level reporting in onshore production and gathering and boosting sectors.
- Added several new sources, including other large release events, produced water tanks, open thief hatches, crankcase venting, methane slip from combustion engines, nitrogen removal units, and drilling mud degassing.
- Expanded the sources for several industry segments.
- Added measurement and measurement plug engineering calculations for some sources.
- Revised the emissions factors of several sources, including equipment leaks, pneumatic devices, and reciprocating compressors.
Business Implications:
Greatly Increases in GHG emissions reported particularly methane which is the basis for the Waste Emission Charge. Largest Impacts to reported GHG emissions include:
- Revised flare destruction efficiencies
- Other large releases (>100 kg/hr)
- Methane Slip Natural Gas Fired Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines and Gas Turbines
- Addition of produced water tanks and open thief hatches on tanks
- Equipment leaks changes
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New Source Performance Standard EPA Regulations for Oil and Gas Operations Subpart OOOOb
Regulation: 40 CFR 60 Subpart OOOOb
Finalized: March 8, 2024
Effective: May 7, 2024 unless otherwise specified
Key Highlights:
- Increased frequency for leak detection.
- New Super Emitter Program requiring response to 3rd party detection of leaks >100 kg/hr of methane.
- No identifiable emissions requirement for closed vent systems and covers of storage tanks, associated gas flaring, controllers, pumps, compressors, sweetening units, liquids unloading, etc.
- Zero emissions controllers and pumps or routing to a process.
- Continuous monitoring of pilot, net heating value, and inlet flow to flares.
- More frequent rod packing replacement on reciprocating compressors.
- No emissions or use of best management practices for liquids unloading venting.
Business Implications:
- Increased capital and operational costs for emission control equipment
- More frequent monitoring and reporting requirements
- Potential operational changes to meet new zero-emission and flaring standards
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