Full Breakdown
EPA Proposes Rollback of Methane Rules for Low-Producing Oil and Gas Wells
By Drooid · · How we work
Proposed Rollback Targets Stripper Wells
The Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing a draft rule that would substantially weaken leak-inspection and equipment-upgrade requirements for more than 700,000 low-producing “stripper” wells—those yielding up to 15 barrels of oil or gas per day. The agency argues that complying with current regulations would force the lowest-producing wells to shut down, a scenario it calls “unreasonable,” even though the wells account for only about 0.4 % of U.S. oil and gas output.
Background: Methane Rules and Industry Influence
The proposal follows a campaign by the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and the National Stripper Well Association (NSWA), which petitioned the EPA to ease restrictions. The IPAA has long been supported by oil billionaire Jeffery Hildebrand, founder of Hilcorp, a company that purchases aging stripper wells. After Hildebrand became a major Trump donor, the administration appointed former Hilcorp lobbyist Aaron Szabo to a senior EPA post overseeing the rule changes. Szabo previously helped draft a letter for the American Exploration and Production Council (AXPC) opposing the Biden-era methane rules and advised on “Project 2025,” a deregulatory roadmap that recommends eliminating the EPA’s “super-emitter” tracking program.
Data & Statistics
- Stripper wells produce roughly 6 % of the nation’s oil and natural gas but are responsible for about half of the sector’s methane emissions.
- The draft rule is projected to save oil and gas companies about $42 billion through 2050.
- Under the Biden administration, the original methane rules were estimated to cut industry methane pollution by 80 % and generate climate, health, and energy benefits valued at more than $7 billion annually.
Official Statements & Responses
The White House Office of Management and Budget and the EPA’s press office confirmed the rule is still under review but declined to comment on its substance.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This is not about energy dominance,” — Darin Schroeder
*The article reflects the information available in the cited ProPublica reporting and does not include external data or speculation.*
