A new mobile methane emissions inspection method called OTM 33A, developed by the EPA, was used to inspect oil and gas well pads during a study conducted by the agency in Texas, Colorado and Wyoming from 2010-2013, according to a report published in Environmental Science & Technology.
The results indicate that across the wells studied, there seem to be lower emissions at oil and gas well pads over time, and the larger emissions observed with OTM-33A are likely episodic and result from malfunctioning equipment and leaks.
In January the Obama Administration set a goal to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40-45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025.