The US natural gas industry received a preview of a new regulatory push on Apr. 15 when the Environmental Protection Agency published white papers on emissions of methane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in five operational categories.
The agency released the papers for external peer review as part of a White House strategy to reduce methane emissions (OGJ Online, Mar. 29, 2014).
The white papers cover emissions from compressors, completions and production of hydraulically fractured oil wells, leaks, liquids unloading, and pneumatic devices.
EPA will accept public comments on its emissions estimates and technical assessments until June 16. Methane is a greenhouse gas (GHG), and VOCs are precursors to ground-level ozone.
