BLM Extends Gas Waste Rules for Public Land Operators
Published Date: 4/30/2026
Rule
Summary
The Bureau of Land Management is keeping the extended deadlines for new rules that help stop waste and measure gas on public lands. This affects oil and gas companies who must follow these rules to prevent leaks and pay royalties properly. The final rule kicks in on June 1, 2026, giving companies more time to comply without changing the original extension plan.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
One-year delay for LDAR programs
If you run oil and gas operations on Federal or Indian leases, the BLM is postponing by one year the requirement to develop Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programs (43 CFR 3179.100). The final rule effective June 1, 2026 delays enforcement of LDAR while the BLM considers revisions; the BLM estimated the LDAR requirement would have captured about 0.45 Bcf of gas (about $220,000 in annual royalty value) but cost operators about $9.2 million per year and would address roughly 0.5% of total estimated annual lost gas (86 Bcf).
One-year delay for flare metering
If you operate oil and gas sites on Federal or Indian leases, the Bureau of Land Management is postponing by one year the requirement to install gas measuring devices for flared gas (43 CFR 3179.71). The final rule confirming that one-year extension is effective June 1, 2026, which the BLM says reduces immediate operational and agency administrative costs because meters do not change the volume of gas flared.
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