EPA Proposes Changes to Oil and Gas Emissions Standards
The proposed revisions address methane monitoring, gas flaring and emissions control requirements for oil and natural gas operations.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- October 28, 2026
The EPA has proposed revisions to federal air pollution standards for oil and natural gas operations, including changes to methane monitoring, gas flaring and emissions control requirements.
Announced Oct. 27, the proposal would amend portions of the Clean Air Act regulations finalized in 2024. Those regulations established emissions standards for new, modified and reconstructed oil and natural gas facilities, along with guidelines for states to develop plans regulating existing operations.
The proposed changes address five areas of the regulations: requirements for certain well sites; the Super Emitter Program; covers and closed-vent systems; and associated gas and emissions control devices.
One proposed revision would establish separate regulatory categories for certain oil and gas wells. EPA is considering two approaches: categorizing well sites according to production levels or distinguishing between conventional and unconventional wells. Each category would have its own applicable standards.
EPA also proposes eliminating the Super Emitter Program, which lets certified third parties identify and report large methane-emission events. The agency said other monitoring requirements provide information that operators can use to identify and address significant emissions.
Another proposed change would revise requirements for covers and closed vent systems used to control emissions. EPA would separate existing standards into design and operational requirements, allowing operators to address repairs under the operational provisions.
For associated natural gas produced at oil wells, EPA proposes restoring flares or other control devices that can achieve 95% emissions reduction as an acceptable control approach. The 2024 regulations generally required operators to route associated gas to a sales line, with certain exceptions.
The proposal would also modify monitoring and testing requirements for emissions control equipment. Changes would address flame monitoring data deviations, control device alerts and conditions for visible emissions testing.
The oil and natural gas industry is a significant industrial source of methane, a greenhouse gas, and volatile organic compounds that contribute to ground-level ozone formation. Changes to emissions standards could affect how operators monitor, capture and control these pollutants.
EPA estimates the proposed revisions would reduce regulatory compliance costs by approximately $45 billion. That figure is an agency projection, not a realized savings amount.
The proposal remains subject to public review and has not been finalized.
EPA plans to hold a virtual public hearing 15 days after it publishes the proposal in the Federal Register. A 45-day public comment period will also begin after publication, and the agency expects to announce the specific deadline.
