U.S. House Votes on H.J.RES. 36 to repeal BLM Rule on Methane Emissions; IADC Applauds Actions, Urges Senate to Act Swiftly

(3 February 2017) – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of H.J.RES. 38 which is a Congressional Review Act resolution to nullify U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) rule, “Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation.” This rule regulated methane emissions via venting and flaring limitations on public and Indian lands. In response, IADC President Jason McFarland issued the following statement:

“IADC applauds the actions today of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass H.J.RES 38 to render the BLM’s duplicative and costly rule without effect. Since the BLM first introduced the rule in 2016, IADC and other industry groups have argued that the regulation would have the unintended impact of fewer jobs, higher costs for consumers and less energy security and federal revenue. The truth of course is that natural gas is valuable and energy companies prefer to capture it rather than to vent or flare it off.”

“Much of the rhetoric surrounding the necessity of this rule was based on information that does not truly represent the leaps and bounds industry has made with regard to reducing methane emissions from natural gas venting and flaring. According to the Western Energy Alliance, since 2005, these emissions have declined 38%, even as production has boomed. This speaks to the commitment by the energy industry to adhere to environmentally sound operations, even without regulatory oversight.”

“Today’s action by the House to repeal a rule that industry has argued from the start was unnecessary is welcome news and we ask the U.S. Senate for swift action.”

About IADC

Since 1940, the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) has exclusively represented the worldwide oil and gas drilling industry. IADC’s mission is to catalyze improved performance for the drilling industry by enhancing operational integrity and championing better regulation to facilitate safer, cleaner and more efficient drilling operations worldwide. For more information, visit the IADC website at www.iadc.org.