Interior Department Issues New Rule To Limit Methane From Oil and Gas

"The Interior Department on Tuesday finalized a much anticipated new regulation aimed at the oil and gas industry, one that seeks to capture flared natural gas and corral “fugitive” emissions of methane that are escaping drilling operations on public and Native American lands.

The agency argues that large volumes of gas are being lost through practices such as venting and flaring — burning off some of the gas as it arises from a well — as well as inadvertent leaks. And given that these fossil fuel resources are being gathered from public lands, the department says it’s incumbent on companies to take precautions not to lose them — especially since methane released into the atmosphere also worsens climate change. (Natural gas is mostly methane.)

The Interior Department and its Bureau of Land Management, which will implement the rule, argues such “waste” actually deprives taxpayers of royalty revenue gathered from oil and gas operations. The agency says the policy, which requires cutbacks in gas flaring, more inspections for leaks, and in some cases the installation of new equipment, will reduce methane emissions by 175,000 to 180,000 tons annually."

Chris Mooney reports for the Washington Post November 15, 2016.

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"Methane: Interior Finalizes Rule, Gets Hit With Industry Lawsuit" (Greenwire)