EPA amends oil, gas emissions standards

The Environmental Protection Agency has amended its standards for the control of emissions from oil and gas development and production, In August 2012 the agency published a final rule defining new standards that particularly applied to natural gas production - the amendments relate to some issues that people have raised with these new standards.

The new standards, designed to limit the emission of volatile organic compounds and sulfur dioxide from natural gas wells and gas processing plants, mandated the use of reduced emission completions, known as “green completions,” for most gas wells. The standards also set performance targets for emissions control for gas processing and storage equipment.

The amendments to the rule that EPA has now finalized recognize the need for greater clarity over the regulation of emissions during the hydraulic fracturing of gas wells, taking into account the various stages involved in a “fracking” operation. The amendments also address some issues relating to the regulation of storage vessels and gas compressors.

The amendments also correct an error in the 2012 rule that had placed some equipment used for the processing of light liquids and gas vapors on the Alaska North Slope under the regulations - apparently gas processing plants on the North Slope are exempt from this particular area of the regulations.

- Alan Bailey