The Government of Canada is proposing to amend the existing federal regulations for methane emissions from the oil and gas sector in order to achieve at least a 75% reduction in oil and gas methane by 2030 relative to 2012.
The proposed amendments would achieve this goal by expanding the scope of the existing regulations to apply to a wider set of sources, eliminating exclusions, and driving as many individual sources as possible toward zero emissions:
Expanding application of the regulatory measures to apply to virtually all facilities potentially handling natural gas;
Minimizing compliance through combustion, while ensuring that all combustion systems operate at maximum efficiency to address potential methane emissions;
Expanding the application and intensity of inspection programs, including non-producing assets;
Requiring non-emitting equipment when feasible;
Including temporary activities in facility emission ceilings, and lowering these limits to absolute minimum levels; and
Developing a comprehensive, nationally-consistent emission monitoring and reporting system.