"Oil and gas companies are seeking a major increase in permits to vent or burn natural gas from wells on federal lands without paying royalties, according to data obtained by Greenwire.

The data suggest a growing amount of taxpayer-owned natural gas is literally going up in flames as companies focus development in oil plays, particularly in New Mexico and North Dakota.

Over the past three years, industry applications to vent or flare gas -- rather than capture it, send it to market and pay federal royalties -- have risen nearly threefold, according to the data from the Bureau of Land Management."

Phil Taylor reports for Greenwire November 4, 2014. [2]