Bill Text: NY A02644 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires the department of environmental conservation to promulgate rules and regulations relating to gas flow meters at natural gas well sites.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to environmental conservation [A02644 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A02644-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2644

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 26, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. ANGELINO, LEMONDES, McDONOUGH, MORINELLO -- 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 Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Section 23-0305 of the environmental  conservation  law  is
     2  amended by adding a new subdivision 15 to read as follows:
     3    15.  With  respect  to  natural  gas  well sites, the department shall
     4  promulgate rules and regulations that:
     5    a. Require that all gas wells capable of production be  equipped  with
     6  an  electronic  flow  meter  assembly for the purpose of monitoring such
     7  production, the flow meter  assembly  shall  consist  of  a  meter  tube
     8  containing  test  ports  to  be  utilized for measurement and testing of
     9  extracted gas, shutoff valves to be utilized for the purpose of shutting
    10  down portions of the system, and a flow metering assembly,  wherein  the
    11  orifice is capable of being removed without shutting off the system.
    12    b.  Shall cause to be compiled a list of third party contractors, from
    13  which the gas  companies  and  well  operators  shall  select  for  this
    14  service,  that  have  been approved by the department to provide for the
    15  purpose of testing and/or calibrating of gas flow meter assemblies.
    16    c. Provide that any owner or operator of a natural gas well site  may,
    17  at  such  owner's or operator's own cost, engage the services of a third
    18  party contractor from the approved list compiled pursuant to paragraph b
    19  of this subdivision for the purpose of causing an  independent  test  or
    20  calibration  to be conducted upon the gas flow meter or meters connected
    21  to the natural gas well site.
    22    d. Require that orifice meters and piping be installed to comply  with
    23  American  Gas  Association Report No. 3, Orifice Metering of Natural Gas

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD06455-01-3
        A. 2644                             2

     1  and Other Related Hydrocarbon Fluids, Third Edition, Part  2  Specifica-
     2  tion  and  Installation  Requirements. For purposes of this subdivision,
     3  "orifice meter" means a flow measuring device used for  calculating  the
     4  pressure  drop,  flow  rate  and  behavior of the gas moving through the
     5  pipe.
     6    e. Require that testing and calibration of an orifice  meter  provided
     7  by gas companies or well operators shall be conducted on a monthly basis
     8  during  the initial production stages and on a routine basis thereafter,
     9  the frequency of which shall be dependent on the degree of wear  of  the
    10  orifice  and/or flow characteristics of the well and compliance with AGA
    11  specifications. For  purposes  of  this  paragraph  "initial  production
    12  stage"  shall  mean  the initial three years following installation. The
    13  orifice shall be replaced if the degree of wear of the orifice is great-
    14  er than two percent.
    15    f. Require that copies  of  all  reports  and  results  of  the  tests
    16  conducted  pursuant to paragraph e of this subdivision shall be provided
    17  to the commissioner, the commissioner of agriculture  and  markets,  the
    18  chief  inspector or director of the local bureau of weights and measures
    19  representing the geographic area in which such test was  conducted,  and
    20  the royalty owners who have an interest in the unit served by the well.
    21    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    22  it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
    23  ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
    24  tation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made on  or
    25  before such effective date.