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HOUSE BILL 258
57
TH LEGISLATURE
-
STATE
OF
NEW
MEXICO
-
FIRST SESSION
,
2025
INTRODUCED BY
Matthew McQueen and Kristina Ortez
AN ACT
RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES; PROVIDING NATURAL GAS CAPTURE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OPERATOR OF AN OIL OR GAS WELL OR NATURAL
GAS GATHERING SYSTEM; PROVIDING EXCEPTIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. A new section of the Oil and Gas Act is
enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] NATURAL GAS CAPTURE REQUIREMENTS--RULES.--
A. Beginning January 1, 2027, an operator shall
ensure that at least ninety-eight percent of the natural gas
produced or gathered by the operator's facilities is captured
in a calendar year; provided that natural gas shall not be
included in the determination of an operator's overall capture
percentage if that gas is:
(1) released during an emergency;
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(2) beneficially used by the operator;
(3) not suitable for transportation or
processing due to nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide or carbon dioxide
concentrations;
(4) vented as a result of the normal operation
of pneumatic controllers and pumps; or
(5) vented or flared from an exploratory well.
B. The division shall promulgate rules necessary to
implement the provisions of this section.
C. As used in this section, "operator" means a
person that is duly authorized to construct, manage or operate
an oil or gas well or associated facilities or a natural gas
gathering system."
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