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/R Incorporated Providing Environmental Technical Support Since 1989

501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 250  Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514

Telephone: (919)484-0222  Fax: (919) 484-0122

MEMORANDUM

Date: May 28, 2010

Subject: Summary of the March 18, 2010 Meeting Between the EPA and BP 

Representatives Regarding the Exploration and Production Segments of 

the Oil and Natural Gas Industry 

From: Robert Vogt, EC/R Incorporated

To: Bruce Moore, EPA/OAQPS/SPPD/CCG

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this memorandum is to summarize the March 18, 2010 meeting between 

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and industry representatives from BP. The purpose 

of the meeting was to gain information about the exploration and production segments of the Oil 

and Gas Industry. 

II. DATE

The meeting took place on March 18, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the United 

States Environmental Protection Agency in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. 

III. ATTENDEES

The following individuals participated in the meeting. 

BP

Dana Wood, Sr. Environmental Technical Advisor

Karen St. John, Director, Regulatory Affairs

Reid Smith, Sr. Environmental Advisor

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA/OAQPS)

Alex MacPherson, Health and Environmental Impacts Division, Air Benefit and Cost Group

Bruce Moore, Sector Policies and Programs Division, Coatings and Chemicals Group

David Salman, Sector Policies and Programs Division, Coatings and Chemicals Group

David Solomon, Sector Policies and Programs Division, Program Design Group
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/R Incorporated Providing Environmental Technical Support Since 1989

501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 250  Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514

Telephone: (919)484-0222  Fax: (919) 484-0122

Jodi Howard, Sector Policies and Programs Division, Coatings and Chemicals Group

Nick Parsons, Sector Policies and Programs Division, Coatings and Chemicals Group

Rachel Agnew, Sector Policies and Programs Division, Measurement Policy Group

EC/R Incorporated

Heather Brown

Phil Norwood

Robert Vogt

IV. SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION

Mr. Smith led the discussion using a PowerPoint presentation on the existing information 

sources from the Exploration and Production segment of the Oil and Gas Industry (See 

Attachment 2). The sources identified in Mr. Smith’s presentation included details on the 

Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) Phase II and Phase III emissions inventory, the 

Central Regional Air Planning Association (CENRAP) oil and gas emissions inventory, the Four 

Corners Interagency Air Quality Task Force emissions inventory, and environmental impact 

statement emissions inventories. Smith’s discussion focused mainly on the WRAP and Four 

Corners Interagency Air Quality Task Force studies. The WRAP and the Four Corners Task 

Force utilized local equipment counts and activity survey data from permitted and unpermitted 

sources within participating states, as well as equipment manufacturer data to calculate emissions 

estimates for criteria pollutants, including NOx, SOx, VOCs, and GHGs. The WRAP identified 

the following as pollutant sources for Phase III assessment and emissions estimates:

 Well Completions

 Fugitive Emissions 

 Completion Venting 

 Well Blowdowns

 Dehydration Units

 Amine Units

 Hydrocarbon Liquid Loading

 Landfarms

 Water Treatment/Injection

 Flaring

 Pneumatic Devices

 Produced Water Tanks

 Truck Hydrocarbon Loading
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/R Incorporated Providing Environmental Technical Support Since 1989

501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 250  Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514

Telephone: (919)484-0222  Fax: (919) 484-0122

Under Phase III, the WRAP is gathering detailed data for all these emission sources. At 

this time, Phase III baseline and projection studies have been completed for the DenverJulesburg Basin, the Piceance Basin, The Uinta Basin, the North San Juan Basin, and the South 

San Juan Basin. The study area encompasses Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, 

Utah, and Wyoming.

Smith stated that regional air emissions modeling studies such as the WRAP and the Four 

Corners Interagency Air Quality Task Force are essential for establishing baseline and future 

data on oil and gas emissions sources and quantities. Mr. Smith also expressed the importance of 

incorporating basin-specific data, including oil and gas stream composition, to make more 

accurate calculations of air emissions from the oil and gas industry.

Mr. Smith continued the discussion of Oil and Gas exploration and production by 

outlining the typical life cycle of an oil or gas well, focusing on events that result in air 

emissions. The typical trajectories of well operations were described as follows: 

a) Initial seismic/geological studies, well exploration

b) Site construction and drilling pad placement

c) Drilling rig placement 

d) Installation of well casing

e) Commencement of drilling 

f) Hydraulic fracture well stimulation

g) Gas well flaring

h) Well completion 

i) Well cleanup

j) Commencement of production phase

k) Liquid/gas separation

l) Refracturing

m) Well workovers 

n) Product transmission 

o) Well decommissioning 

More detailed discussions were held on the following topics:

 Unconventional well drilling practices
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/R Incorporated Providing Environmental Technical Support Since 1989

501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 250  Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514

Telephone: (919)484-0222  Fax: (919) 484-0122

 Well completions and cleanups

 Typical life cycle of a well

 Hydraulic fracturing

 Quality of air emissions data sources