Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation

On November 30, 2022, the Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), published in the Federal Register a proposed rule entitled "Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation." This final rule aims to reduce the waste of natural gas from venting, flaring, and leaks during oil and gas production activities on Federal and Indian leases. The final rule also ensures that, when Federal or Indian gas is wasted, the public and Indian mineral owners are compensated for that wasted gas through royalty payments. This final rule will be codified in the Code of Federal Regulations and will replace the BLM's current requirements governing venting and flaring, which are more than four decades old.