New EPA Rule Targets Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Operations

The rule, announced at the COP28 climate talks, aims to cut methane emissions by nearly 80 percent by 2038 and includes a near-total ban on flaring at newer facilities.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced new federal standards to regulate U.S. oil and gas operations for methane, covering petroleum infrastructure built prior to 2015.
The final rule aims to deeply cut methane emissions by requiring equipment upgrades and regular leak inspections, expected to reduce methane emissions from regulated sources by nearly 80 percent by 2038.
The rule also encourages the use of alternative detection technologies for monitoring facilities, like aerial surveys and continuous monitoring.
The rule includes a near-total ban on flaring at newer facilities except in emergencies, giving companies two years to retrofit their operations before the ban takes effect.
The final rule gives new oil and gas operations in most of the country one year to retrofit with nonemitting pneumatic controllers and pumps that don’t release gas.