Reconsideration of Standards of Performance for Oil and Natural Gas Sector
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
The EPA has finalized amendments to the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Emission Guidelines (EG) for the oil and natural gas sector, addressing petitions for reconsideration of a previous rule. The main changes involve the temporary flaring of associated gas, extending the allowable flaring time from 24 to 72 hours in certain situations, and revising the continuous monitoring requirements for vent gas net heating value. The amendments aim to provide flexibility while ensuring environmental standards are maintained.
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Key Changes
- Extended temporary flaring provisions for associated gas from 24 hours to 72 hours under specific circumstances.
- Revised continuous monitoring requirements for vent gas net heating value (NHV) and sampling options for flares and enclosed combustion devices.
- Reinstated regulatory text for reporting requirements that were mistakenly deleted, along with formatting changes to meet federal standards.
Obligations
What this law requires
Operators must extend the allowable temporary flaring time for associated gas from 24 hours to 72 hours in certain situations as specified in the amended NSPS OOOOb standards
Operators must comply with revised continuous monitoring requirements for vent gas net heating value (NHV) for flares and enclosed combustion devices (ECD) as finalized in this rule
Operators must implement the alternative performance test (sampling demonstration) option for flares and enclosed combustion devices in place of continuous monitoring, where applicable
Operators must submit reporting requirements as specified in 40 CFR 60.5420b(b)(1) through (15), which have been reinstated in this final rule
All affected operators must achieve compliance with the final rule amendments effective June 8, 2026