President Donald Trump is set to announce a proposed rule easing methane emission requirements for oil and gas producers as part of his latest effort to boost domestic production and lower fuel prices.
Trump is expected to announce the proposed rule in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday at a campaign rally meant to boost Senate candidate Ken Paxton just a week before the midterm elections, a White House official confirmed.
Texas is the top oil-producing state in the country. The president’s announcement comes as the administration has taken several steps to curb high fuel prices, which have been driven by the wars in Iran and Ukraine. Nationwide diesel prices remain at record levels of $6.35 per gallon.
The EPA’s proposal would reconsider the Biden administration’s 2024 oil and natural gas rules on methane emissions and other pollutants, also known as OOOOb/c.
The EPA’s proposal would reconsider standards on marginal wells, which are low-producing oil wells that average 15 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
The Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month said it would propose two options for regulating marginal wells with separate standards for different types of wells. Marginal wells account for less than 5% of the country’s oil and gas supply. However, the EPA has noted that these wells contribute nearly 50% of the industry’s methane emissions.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told reporters at an event earlier this month that the proposal would address concerns raised by smaller gas and oil producers, arguing that the existing rule insufficiently distinguishes between small operators and major companies.
“The average person in the country might just think, ‘OK, it’s appropriate to lump everyone together, and with the mindset of they’re all Exxon or Chevron,’” Zeldin said. “But that’s just not the case.”
He has said that the rule would remove unnecessary burdens and result in people saving more money to heat their homes and drive their cars.
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The proposal would also rescind the Super Emitter Program, which was designed to detect large methane releases near oil and gas facilities. The administration last year delayed the implementation of the program. It would also ease requirements, phasing out some routine flaring, which is when oil and gas production sites burn excess natural gas instead of capturing it.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
