Interior Department Final Rule

2016-25410: Onshore Oil and Gas Operations; Federal and Indian Oil and Gas Leases; Measurement of Gas

Get alerted when the next rule lands

New rules open for comment on their own schedule. Pick how you want to hear about them — we email you when one appears.

Alert me on new Interior Department rules or alert me on a subject

Publishing to members? Embed a live rule tracker on your own site — the proposed rules in your area and the comment deadlines closing on them, updating themselves. Free, one line of HTML.

Create a free account & build one →

Summary

This final rule updates and replaces Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 5 (Order 5) with a new regulation codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Like Order 5, this rule establishes minimum standards for accurate measurement and proper reporting of all gas removed or sold from Federal and Indian (except the Osage Tribe) leases, units, unit participating areas (PAs), and areas subject to communitization agreements (CAs). It provides a system for production accountability by operators, lessees, purchasers, and transporters. This rule establishes overall gas measurement performance standards and includes, among other things, requirements for the hardware and software related to gas metering equipment and reporting and recordkeeping. This rule also identifies certain specific acts of noncompliance that may result in an immediate assessment and provides a process for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to consider variances from the requirements of this rule.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 2 parts of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

Don't miss the comment window

One Click Politics alerts you on every deadline, hearing, and rule change.

See all rules with comments due soon →