UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE
GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION

NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS OF FEDERAL OIL AND GAS LEASES ON THE OUTER
CONTINENTAL SHELF, GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION

Flaring and Venting Regulations

This Notice to Lessees and Operators conveys and clarifies Minerals Management Service (MMS) policy regarding the continuous flaring or venting of small volumes of oil-well gas or gas-well gas.

Background

In accordance with 30 CFR 250.1105(a)(1), lessees may flare or vent oil-well gas or gas-well gas without approval from the Regional Supervisor when gas vapors are flared or vented in small volumes from storage vessels or other low-pressure production vessels and cannot be economically recovered. Some operators have questioned what volume MMS considers to be small and uneconomic under this paragraph.

Guidelines for Flaring and Venting Uneconomic Hydrocarbons

You do not need approval from the Regional Supervisor of Production and Development to flare or vent oil-well gas or gas-well gas at your facility when properly working equipment yields flash gas vapors, from storage vessels or other low-pressure production vessels, that do not exceed an average of 50 MCF of gas per day during any calendar month.

If your facility flares or vents more than an average of 50 MCF of gas per day from storage vessels or other low-pressure production vessels, you should present an evaluation to the Regional Supervisor demonstrating that it is uneconomic to capture this gas and, therefore, the flaring or venting is allowable under 30 CFR 250.1105(a). As an alternative to presenting an economic evaluation, you may install the equipment necessary to capture the gas.

As with all flared and vented gas, the volume flared or vented under this paragraph must be recorded on a daily basis in accordance with 30 CFR 250.1105(d). These flare and vent volumes must also be reported, along with all other flared and vented gas, on your Oil and Gas Operations Report, Part B (Form MMS-4054, OMB Control Number 1010-0139, expiration 08/31/2006).

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Statement

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA)(44 U.S.C. 3504 et seq.) requires us to inform you that the MMS collects this information to carry out its responsibilities under the OCS Lands Act, as amended. Responses are mandatory. No proprietary data are collected. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection. This NTL does not impose additional information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection referred to in this NTL is intended to provide clarification, description, or interpretation of requirements contained in 30 CFR 250, subpart K. The OMB has approved the collection of information and assigned OMB control number 1010-0041, expiration 07/31/2006. Direct any comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Mail Stop 4230, Minerals Management Service, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240.

Contact

If you have any specific questions concerning this matter, please contact Mr. Richie Baud by e-mail at richie.baud@mms.gov or by phone at (504) 736-2480.

[original signed]
Chris C. Oynes
Regional Director