New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry Amended
Posted by [email protected] on Sep. 7, 2020
On Thursday, August 13, 2020 the Administrator signed two final rules amending the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry. The final policy amendments to the 2012 and 2016 NSPS remove the transmission and storage segment from the rule, rescind VOC and methane emissions standards for that segment, and rescind methane emissions standards for the production and processing segments. The final technical amendments to the 2016 NSPS make a number of changes to the rule to simplify compliance, including changes to the leaks monitoring and repair schedules for gathering and boosting compressor stations and low-production wells, changes to recordkeeping and reporting requirements (leaks are called “fugitive emissions” in the rule), and changes to incorporate several states’ requirements, among others.
Pre-publication versions of the two rules, along with summary fact sheets are on the web at: https://www.epa.gov/controlling-air-pollution-oil-and-natural-gas-industry/epa-issues-final-policy-and-technical .
