Methane compliance monitoring refers to the ongoing activities oil and gas operators perform to meet regulatory requirements for detecting, measuring, and managing methane emissions. Those activities include conducting leak detection surveys, quantifying emissions, documenting leaks, conducting repair activities, and reporting according to the rules from agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), or other state or regional regulatory jurisdictions.
Effective methane compliance monitoring ensures that operators meet legal obligations: conducting all required monitoring, follow-up, repair, and reporting activities to avoid penalties, and demonstrate responsible environmental performance.
Methane compliance monitoring is intended to reduce methane emissions, protect air quality and community safety, and ensure operators meet regulatory requirements. Specific requirements are dependent upon the industry segments that oil and gas operators conduct business in, and the rules that are applicable to the segment and jurisdiction, whether federal, state, or local.
From well pads and pipelines to processing facilities and compressor stations, when applicable regulations are in place in a given jurisdiction, operators must prove they are:
Programs like EPA Subpart W, EPA OOOOa/OOOOb/OOOOc, and PHMSA’s pipeline safety regulations all require, or will require, some form of methane compliance monitoring.
Bridger Photonics’ Gas Mapping LiDAR® helps operators meet these obligations by delivering high-quality, quantified, equipment-level emissions data suitable for audits and filings.
Methane compliance monitoring typically involves:
Aerial emissions detection systems like Bridger’s LiDAR technology offers an efficient way to monitor wide areas with high sensitivity and accuracy, providing both detection and quantification with pinpointed leak locations.
Related: Aerial Methane Detection, Methane Quantification, Subpart W Methane, PHMSA Methane Detection, EPA OOOOb Methane Rule
*Disclaimer: The information provided by Bridger Photonics, Inc. is intended for informational purposes only and is not official guidance or legal advice. We recommend consulting the appropriate agency or your legal team before making any decisions based on this information. Bridger Photonics, Inc. makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the information provided.