State officials in Texas and New Mexico have made moves intended to permanently cut the prevalence of flaring, the practice of burning off excess gas produced as a by-product during oil extraction, according to S&P Global Platts.
The Texas Railroad Commission introduced a revision to Rule 32 Data Sheet intending to make it more difficult for producers to get exemptions used to flare excess gas, including reducing the period of time for which an operator may obtain an administrative exception to flare gas by as much as 80%.
New Mexico has two new rules regarding flaring currently up for public comment, including one by the New Mexico Environment Department and the other by the Oil Conservation Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.