Q471. How are new offshore petroleum and natural gas production facilities that report to BOEM's OCS emissions inventory supposed to report for a particular year if a published emissions inventory study is not available? Should such a facility use BOEM methodologies to calculate the emissions?

A471. For Reporting Year (RY) 2024 and earlier, new facilities, regardless of whether or not they report to BOEM's OCS emissions inventory, are required to follow 40 CFR 98.233(s)(4), which states, "for either the first or subsequent year reporting, offshore facilities either within or outside of BOEMRE jurisdiction that were not covered in the previous BOEMRE data collection cycle must use the most recent BOEMRE data collection and emissions estimation methods published by BOEMRE referenced in 30 CFR 250.302 through 250.304 to calculate and report emissions."

Therefore, if the facility is subject to the rule and reports to BOEM's OCS emissions inventory, but is a new facility that is not included in the most recently published OCS emissions inventory study, then you must calculate emissions for the calendar year in question for equipment leaks, vent, and flare emission sources using methodologies in the most recently published OCS emissions inventory study.

For RY 2025 and later, new facilities, regardless of whether or not they report to BOEM's OCS emissions inventory, are required to follow 40 CFR 98.233(s)(4), which states, "for the first year of reporting, offshore production facilities must use the most recent monitoring and calculation methods published by BOEM referenced in 30 CFR 550.302 through 304 to calculate and report annual emissions."

Note: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) replaced the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) in October 2011.  Additionally, BOEM has replaced the GOADS database with the Outer Continental Shelf Air Quality System (OCS AQS) beginning with its 2021 emissions inventory. The applicable regulatory citation is now 30 CFR 550.302 through 304 instead of 30 CFR 250.302 through 304.