"EPA is considering a change to how oil and gas industry methane emissions are counted that could push them below required reporting levels under the Clean Air Act.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler told an industry gathering yesterday the agency will assess whether the oil and gas sector should continue to be regulated as a single pollution source. He noted there are 'significant differences' between the production and processing corner of the industry and the transmission and storage of oil and gas.

For the purpose of regulating potent greenhouse gas emissions, Wheeler said the agency might split the business into separate categories. If it passed legal muster, the idea could divide industry methane emissions into smaller units that might not qualify for regulation.

'With the sources split, it's not clear whether the level of greenhouse gas emissions will be high enough to trigger the significant attribution criteria, which are required to set emission standards under the Clean Air Act,' Wheeler said at the U.S. Energy Association event."

Jenny Mandel and Niina H. Farah report for EnergyWire May 24, 2019. [2]