"New Mexico oil and gas regulators on Thursday adopted new rules to limit most venting and flaring in the oilfield as a way to reduce methane emissions.

The Oil Conservation Commission took the final vote, bringing to a close a two-year process that involved testimony from environmental advocates and technical experts from the oil and gas industry. Virtual public hearings also were held.

“I think this is a huge day for New Mexico,” Adrienne Sandoval, director of the state Oil Conservation Division, said after the unanimous vote.

State officials are billing the rules as some of the strongest gas capture requirements in the nation. Unlike other states, New Mexico’s rules also apply to the midstream sector, which collects natural gas from wells for processing."

Susan Montoya Bryan reports for the Associated Press March 25, 2021. [2]