§ 250.1160 — When May I Flare Or Vent Gas?

(a) You must request and receive approval from the Regional Supervisor to flare or vent natural gas at your facility, except in the following situations:

(b) Regardless of the requirements in paragraph (a) of this section, you must not flare or vent gas over the volume approved in your Development Operations Coordination Document (DOCD) or your Development and Production Plan (DPP) submitted to BOEM.

(c) The Regional Supervisor may establish alternative approval procedures to cover situations when you cannot contact the BSEE office, such as during non-office hours.

(d) The Regional Supervisor may specify a volume limit, or a shorter time limit than specified elsewhere in this part, in order to prevent air quality degradation or loss of reserves.

(e) If you flare or vent gas without the required approval, or if the Regional Supervisor determines that you were negligent or could have avoided flaring or venting the gas, the hydrocarbons will be considered avoidably lost or wasted. You must pay royalties on the loss or waste, according to 30 CFR part 1202. You must value any gas or liquid hydrocarbons avoidably lost or wasted under the provisions of 30 CFR part 1206.

(f) Fugitive emissions from valves, fittings, flanges, pressure relief valves or similar components do not require approval under this subpart unless specifically required by the Regional Supervisor.