Q447. What information must be reported by subpart W (oil and natural gas systems) facilities?

A447. Under the final rule, covered facilities will report the following information:

• Annual CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O emissions reported separately for onshore and offshore petroleum and natural gas production, onshore natural gas processing, onshore natural gas transmission compression, underground natural gas storage, LNG storage, LNG import and export equipment, and natural gas distribution.
• Within each industry segment, CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O emissions aggregated or individually for each source type as specified. For example, an onshore natural gas production operation with multiple reciprocating compressors must report emissions from all reciprocating compressors as an aggregate number.
• Activity data as specified, either aggregated or individually for each source type.
• Annual throughput.
• CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O emissions reported separately for portable equipment.

EPA temporarily deferred the requirement to report data elements in the above list that are used as inputs to emission equations until 2015 (76 FR 53057, August 25, 2011). On February 24, 2012, EPA issued a proposal to determine which data elements reported under subpart W of Part 98 would or would not be entitled confidential treatment under the Clean Air Act (CAA).  These data elments will be reported to EPA for the first time in September 2012.  In addition, this action proposes to defer the deadline for reporting some recently added subpart W data reporting elements that are "inputs to emission equations" until 2015.  Please note that the deferral only applies to reporting, not any other requirements such as recordkeeping.  For the current status of reporting requirements, including the list of data elements that are considered to be inputs to emissions equations, consult the following link: http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/reporters/cbi/index.html