On April 17, the EPA released final standards for the reduction of air pollution from natural gas wells that use hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” Well operators have until January 2015 to employ techniques to trap natural gas that seeps from wells, so it can be used or sold. In 2009, about 1.1 million US wells produced oil and natural gas. About 11,400 new and 1,400 existing wells undergo fracking annually. These wells make up almost 40% of US methane emissions. The rules include updated source performance standards for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and sulfur dioxide, and updated air toxics standards for key sources of oil and natural gas production, and natural gas transmission and storage. The EPA predicts that when the rules come into full effect in 2015, VOCs, air toxics like benzene and hexane, and methane will be reduced by 190,000–290,000 tons, 12,000–20,000 tons and 1.0–1.7 million short tons, respectively. The standards do not apply to low-pressure wells, which make up about 10% of fractured natural gas wells.

Source: EPA