New rules on emissions from fossil reservoirs coming. Tightening of penalties on atmospheric release or controlled burning of methane, more leakage control obligations for producers and leak repair, and finally increased compensation in case of leaks.
These are the stakes of the new methane emission limits approved on 27 March by the US Department of the Interior and effective next June.
Methane is a greenhouse gas with climate-changing power, and in the US its emissions fell by 16% between 1990 and 2021, yet it is still one of the least regulated gases with high potential for improvement.
The new limits mainly address flaring and venting activities, which have increased significantly in recent years. Between 2010 and 2020, the volumes of fossil gas leaked were 1.2 billion cubic metres, a 4-fold increase over the 1990-2000 period.