Larimer County counsel outlines state rulemakings on methane, produced-water recycling and leak detection

Special counsel Matt Sura told the Larimer County Board of County Commissioners on March 10 that Colorado is pursuing several rulemakings that will change how the oil and gas industry controls methane and monitors air quality.

Sura, who serves as the county's special counsel for oil and gas, said two major rule processes have moved in the past six months: a Reg 7 rulemaking at the Air Quality Control Commission prompted by federal EPA requirements, and a rulemaking at the Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) addressing recycling of produced water. "There's a lot to update you on," Sura said.

The Reg 7 changes respond to what Sura described as an EPA-driven requirement that pneumatic valves in oil and gas operations be non-leaking. Pneumatic valves use natural gas pressure to operate and, Sura said, "every time that pneumatic valve actuates, it actually releases some methane and therefore these pneumatic valves have been very leaky and one of the biggest sources of methane in the oil and gas sector nationwide." He said Colorado has taken steps since 2014 to reduce those emissions and the new rules will require retrofits so remaining pneumatic devices do not leak — for example by adding on-site air compressors or returning gas to the pipeline.

Sura also described more prescriptive monitoring requirements for pre‑production and early production phases. He said regulators…