Colorado takes action to further reduce methane emissions from oil and gas operations

Denver (Feb. 21, 2025): The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission has approved updates to further reduce methane emissions and other air pollution from Colorado’s oil and gas sector. Methane is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, and it is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 100 year period. The new requirements will also reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds, which are air pollutants that contribute to ground-level ozone pollution. With these updates, Colorado is taking early action to implement new federal rules. 

“Colorado continues to lead the nation in protecting air quality and tackling climate change,” said Michael Ogletree, senior director of state air quality programs at CDPHE. “We didn’t wait for federal deadlines—we acted early to advance these protections for our environment and communities. These standards reflect Colorado’s commitment to cleaner air and a healthier future, backed by thoughtful, state-specific solutions.”

Updates to continue reducing emissions

The commission adopted a new rule that updates Air Quality Control Commission Regulation 7. The rule addresses natural gas-driven pneumatic controllers and pumps used in oil and gas pre-production and early production operations. These are devices that use natural gas to control variables like pressure and liquid levels while moving liquids through a process. Using these devices can release natural gas, or methane, into the air, especially if the device malfunctions. The commission approved measures to phase out the use of natural gas-driven pneumatic devices at oil and gas facilities statewide. Operators can use natural gas-driven pneumatic devices that are self-contained or routed to process (i.e., do not emit emissions to atmosphere) or replace them with pneumatic devices that run on electricity, nitrogen, or compressed air.

Oil and gas operators with facilities located in Colorado areas that do not meet federal health standards for ground-level ozone pollution must phase out the use of these devices more quickly. Those facilities must achieve a 50% phase out by May 2026, then a 100% phase out by May 2027.

Oil and gas operators with facilities anywhere else in Colorado must achieve a phase out of: 

• 25% by May 2026.
• 50% by May 2027.
• 75% by May 2028.
• 100% by March 2029.

This timeline requires operators to complete the phase out sooner than the March 9, 2029 deadline under new federal requirements. Once fully implemented, this measure is expected to eliminate an estimated 16,000 metric tons of methane per year—equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions from over 104,000 gasoline-powered vehicles.

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