Government Gives Oil Companies More Time to Stop Leaking
Published Date: 12/15/2025
Rule
Summary
The Bureau of Land Management is giving oil and gas companies more time to follow new rules about checking for leaks and measuring gas flares. These changes mainly affect companies working on public lands in the Western U.S. The deadline extension means companies can better prepare without rushing, helping save resources and avoid extra costs for now.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
One-year delay for certain flare metering
If you operate high-pressure flares on Federal or Indian leases that flare at least 1,050 Mcf per month but less than 6,000 Mcf per month, the requirement to install meters and take gas samples that was due December 10, 2025 is extended to December 10, 2026. The rule keeps the measurement and sampling requirements themselves the same but gives operators one more year to meet them.
One-year extension to submit LDAR programs
Operators on Federal or Indian leases that were in effect on June 10, 2024 must submit an administrative statewide Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program to the applicable BLM state office; the deadline for that submission is extended from December 10, 2025 to December 10, 2026. The rule delays the submission date but does not change the LDAR program requirements themselves.
No relief for very large flares—deadlines remain
Deadlines for higher-volume high-pressure flares are unchanged: flares with monthly volumes greater than or equal to 6,000 Mcf and less than 30,000 Mcf have compliance in effect since June 10, 2025, and flares with monthly volumes of 30,000 Mcf or more have compliance in effect since December 10, 2024. Operators with those larger flares must meet those existing deadlines.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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