Verifying Methane Reductions with Continuous Monitoring: Upgraded Pneumatic Controllers Drive 80% Reduction
“These installs help with Reg 7 pneumatics compliance of course, but my favorite is seeing the immediate responses on our continuous monitoring. It’s immediate and dramatic.”
Figure 1. Qube’s continuous monitoring dashboard visualizes the methane reduction realized immediately following pneumatic upgrades.
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The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment's Air Quality Control Commission has approved updates to further reduce methane emissions and other air pollution from the oil and gas sector. The commission updated Regulation 7, addressing natural gas-driven pneumatic controllers and pumps used in oil and gas pre-production and early production operations. Operators with facilities in areas not meeting federal health standards for ozone pollution must phase out 100% of methane emissions from pneumatic devices by May 2027. Operators in other areas must phase out 100% of their methane emissions by March 2029. The rulemaking also standardizes requirements for monitoring equipment, data collection, and data reporting during pre- and early-production oil and gas operations. This "consistent approach" is aimed at enhancing transparency, making it easier to track and compare air quality data.
Reference:
Oil and gas compliance and recordkeeping | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
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Objective Verification: Continuous monitoring provides real-time, objective data to establish a solid emissions baseline before the upgrade, followed by immediate, measurable verification of the methane reduction after the new zero-bleed controllers are installed.
Compliance Defensibility: The system generates a robust, hour-by-hour audit trail, offering verifiable data for regulatory compliance that moves beyond generic emission factors, supporting mandated reporting requirements under Colorado Reg 7.
Performance Tracking: Continuous monitoring confirms the long-term integrity of the CAPEX project by ensuring the new non-emitting solutions remain operational and immediately alerting the team if new or recurring methane emissions appear.
Enhanced Transparency: The ability to track and display quantifiable reductions in real-time enhances transparency with internal teams, stakeholders, and regulatory bodies, promoting the consistent, data-driven approach prioritized by the latest regulations.