Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026

Exempt small oil and gas wells

If enacted, this bill would exempt owners and operators of qualifying small oil and gas wells from many Clean Air Act section 111 rules. A well would qualify if its average daily production in the prior calendar year is 15 barrels of oil per day or less, or 90,000 cubic feet of natural gas per day or less. Oil also would qualify if it produces 15 barrels oil-equivalent per day or less using 6,000 cubic feet = 1 barrel. The exemption would apply to the listed associated equipment at the well site and would stop at the point of custody transfer. If enacted, standards under section 111(b) or 111(d)(2) and related obligations would not apply to qualifying wells; that includes monitoring, reporting, recordkeeping, fugitive emission surveys, leak detection and repair, and emissions estimation or measurement. If a State revises its plan to make a standard inapplicable to marginal wells, EPA would have 180 days to act and the revision would be deemed approved if EPA does not act. EPA would have 180 days after enactment to update regulations and guidance. Any pending enforcement actions against qualifying wells would be terminated on the date of enactment.