"Texas oil company Apache to spend over $9m to address air pollution in settlement with federal government and New Mexico", 14 February 2024

A Texas company has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the federal government and the state of New Mexico to address air pollution concerns in the largest oil and gas producing region in the United States.

The agreement announced... with Apache Corporation calls for the company to pay $4 million in penalties and spend more than $5 million on preventative measures to reduce emissions at its wells...

Apache was accused in a civil lawsuit of failing to comply with federal and state requirements to capture and control emissions at some of its operations in the two states. ...

The company said in an email that the consent decree announced Tuesday resolves alleged violations from years ago and that the company acted swiftly to remedy the issues. Changes have included modifications to allow for more measurement, monitoring and capture of emissions and increased site inspections and expedited maintenance timelines.

“Moving forward, the consent decree represents our commitment to continuous improvement across our facilities in the Permian Basin,” the company said. “We also continue to collaborate with industry partners through organizations such as the Environmental Partnership and the U.N.’s Oil and Gas Methane Partnership in striving toward a more sustainable future.”

The agreement covers 422 of Apache’s oil and gas well pads in New Mexico and Texas, ensuring that they will comply with state and federal clean air regulations and that past illegal emissions will be offset.

State and federal officials estimate that compliance will result in annual reductions of 900 tons of methane and more than 9,650 tons of volatile organic compounds, which contribute to smog.