EPA releases air quality rules for fracking

Air-quality rules: Aim to curb release of VOCs

TONYA ZELINSKY

Kathrine Schmidt

 18 April 2012 18:48 GMT

US regulators on Wednesday laid out new rules requiring companies to observe stricter air-quality standards when hydraulically fracturing wells by 2015.

The US Environmental Protection Agency regulations are aimed at reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds, methane and other chemicals released during the process.  

The regulation’s goal is to use “green completions” to achieve a 95% reduction in VOC emissions, essentially using equipment to trap natural gas and oil emitted as the well is prepared for production instead of venting it to the air.

The rules, subjected to months of public comment, were generally well-received by leading industry and environmental groups, include technologies already used by some shale drillers and match rules already implemented in Colorado and Wyoming.

The American…

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