What's happening
This bill requires electronic flow meters at natural gas well sites and sets standards for their installation, testing, and reporting.
Why it matters
Improved Accuracy and Transparency. By requiring electronic flow meters and standardized installation, the bill aims to ensure more accurate measurement of natural gas production, addressing concerns about underreporting or disputes over royalties and regulatory compliance.
Stronger Oversight and Accountability. Mandating regular testing and calibration by approved third-party contractors, with monthly checks during initial production, increases government oversight and reduces the risk of manipulation or errors in gas flow data.
Enhanced Stakeholder Access. The provision that test results be shared not only with regulators but also with local weights and measures officials and royalty owners could empower property owners and local authorities, giving them critical information to verify fair compensation and compliance.
Alignment with Industry Standards. By requiring compliance with American Gas Association (AGA) specifications, the bill ensures that technical practices at New York’s natural gas wells meet widely accepted industry benchmarks, potentially improving safety and operational integrity.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Gas Well Flow Meters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Held for consideration in environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
771
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CROUCH, FINCH, MONTESANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BARCLAY, HAWLEY, OAKS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to requiring the department of environmental conservation to promulgate rules and regulations relating to gas flow meters at natural gas well sites
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 23-0305 of the environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new subdivision 15 to read as follows:
15. With respect to natural gas well sites, the department shall promulgate rules and regulations that:
a. Require that all gas wells capable of production be equipped with an electronic flow meter assembly for the purpose of monitoring such production, the flow meter assembly shall consist of a meter tube containing test ports to be utilized for measurement and testing of extracted gas, shutoff valves to be utilized for the purpose of shutting down portions of the system, and a flow metering assembly, wherein the orifice is capable of being removed without shutting off the system.
b. Shall cause to be compiled a list of third party contractors, from which the gas companies and well operators shall select for this service, that have been approved by the department to provide for the purpose of testing and/or calibrating of gas flow meter assemblies.
c. Provide that any owner or operator of a natural gas well site may, at such owner's or operator's own cost, engage the services of a third party contractor from the approved list compiled pursuant to paragraph b of this subdivision for the purpose of causing an independent test or calibration to be conducted upon the gas flow meter or meters connected to the natural gas well site.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04578-01-7
A. 771 2
d. Require that orifice meters and piping be installed to comply with American Gas Association Report No. 3, Orifice Metering of Natural Gas and Other Related Hydrocarbon Fluids, Third Edition, Part 2 Specification and Installation Requirements. For purposes of this subdivision, "orifice meter" means a flow measuring device used for calculating the pressure drop, flow rate and behavior of the gas moving through the pipe.
e. Require that testing and calibration of an orifice meter provided by gas companies or well operators shall be conducted on a monthly basis during the initial production stages and on a routine basis thereafter, the frequency of which shall be dependent on the degree of wear of the orifice and/or flow characteristics of the well and compliance with AGA specifications. For purposes of this paragraph "initial production stage" shall mean the initial three years following installation. The orifice shall be replaced if the degree of wear of the orifice is greater than two percent.
f. Require that copies of all reports and results of the tests conducted pursuant to paragraph e of this subdivision shall be provided to the commissioner, the commissioner of agriculture and markets, the chief inspector or director of the local bureau of weights and measures representing the geographic area in which such test was conducted, and the royalty owners who have an interest in the unit served by the well.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.