Technical Guidance Document Number 2: Fugitive Component and Equipment Leaks

This document provides technical guidance to Partners of the CCAC Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP). It is one in a series describing a core source of methane emissions from oil and natural gas production operations.

This document deals with fugitive emissions that arise from unintentional leaks from oil and gas operations. Potential components or sources of leaks from these operations include flanges, screw and compression fittings, stem packing in valves, pump seals, compressor components, through-valve leaks in pressure relief valves, open-ended lines, hatches, meters, open-ended lines and improperly operated storage tanks. For the purposes of this paper, emissions from equipment designed to vent as part of normal operations, such as gas-driven pneumatic controllers, are not considered leaks.