EPA Issues Final Emissions Standards For Oil & Natural Gas Sector

On April 17, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized performance and emissions standards for emissions from hydraulically fractured natural gas wells and other source categories in the oil and natural gas sector. Specifically, the rule revises New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) under 40 C.F.R. part 60, subparts KKK, LLL and new OOOO as well as National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) under 40 C.F.R. part 63, subparts HH and HHH. The new rule is intended to control emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from operations and equipment at natural gas well sites, gathering and boosting stations, gas processing plants and natural gas compressor stations. The rule does not apply to oil wells, but does have the potential to impact certain downstream equipment.