Methane Super Emitter Program Data Explorer: Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean when the Owner/Operator is not listed on the Data Explorer? 

If it is within 15 days from the emissions event being reported to the EPA, this may mean that the EPA is waiting for the owner/operator to confirm or demur the attribution provided by the Third Party. If it is more than 15 days, it normally means that the EPA does not have an owner/operator attribution reasonably believed to be accurate. 

If I see a data error on the website, for example, the wrong owner/operator is listed, how can I report it? 

Each row of the data table below the map window in the Data Explorer has a ‘Report an Error’ column. Clicking on that link will take the user to an Error Report form.

How long does EPA wait to post event information? 

Event data, with the exception of the owner/operator attribution, is posted once it passes the completeness and accuracy review. Each event is reviewed by EPA staff, so the exact timing may vary slightly. The EPA strives for both timeliness and rigor. Owner/operator attribution is added either when confirmed by the owner/operator or 15 days after the event if no response has been received from the owner/operator and the EPA reasonably believes the attribution to be accurate.

Can old emissions events be submitted through the super-emitter program?

The Rule states that the EPA will not review and provide the emissions event notification to an owner or operator if it is submitted 15 calendar days after the date of detection.

How can I tell who reported the event?

Each event has a “dot” in the map in the public Data Explorer. Clicking on the dot will bring up the related data in a pop up and in the table below the map window. One of the data fields is the Third Party that reported the event. Multiple reports may be submitted to the EPA on the same event, so there may be multiple records and multiple Third Parties. 

If an oil and gas facility is sold to another company after the initial notification is submitted, will the Data Explorer be updated to show the original or new owner?

The initial notification will be maintained as it was submitted. The data in the EPA’s detailed facility report in EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) will be updated as the new owner updates relevant registration data.

Does the map show all events, or are some archived/removed?

All events submitted by approved Third-Party Notifiers and that EPA has reviewed for completeness and accuracy, as provided in the Rule, are available on the Data Explorer. For timeliness and viewing clarity, events will be moved to ‘Inactive’ status, as shown in the map legend, if, after an extended period of time, the EPA has not received additional notifications identifying the event as ongoing or changing. 

Can data be downloaded? 

Yes, using the tools in the Data Explorer table, below the map. As shown in the illustration, users can customize the columns of data to be included and then download the data in a csv file.

Is there a way for companies to let the EPA know when an emissions event ended?

Access your Methane Super Emitter Program dashboard in the EPA Central Data Exchange (CDX), click on the associated Response Form, and update it. The database retains copies of earlier versions, so if there are questions or concerns about overwriting information, the versioning files are available.

Are methane events reported to the EPA considered violations of the Clean Air Act?

The fact alone that a methane event is shown on the Data Explorer does not necessarily mean that violations of the Clean Air Act have occurred. The EPA and other regulatory authorities may investigate reported methane events and subsequent owner/operator responses (or lack thereof) to determine whether violations of the Clean Air Act and other standards or requirements have occurred (but that is a separate process from the process that leads to posting of events on the Data Explorer). 

If the EPA does investigate or enforce based on methane super-emitter event reports, where can the public see that information?

Public access to enforcement information is through the ECHO website.

Are other pollutants released to the environment and reported when a methane event has been reported?

It is likely that other pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), NO2, and SO2 may be released in tandem with methane.  For example, if the event is a leak of natural gas, which is comprised mainly of methane, then the gas may contain other compounds such that the leak could result in the emissions of pollutants other than methane. The notifications and reports under the Methane Super Emitter Program are focused on methane, but other pollutants may be reportable under other Clean Air Act requirements and related permits. That reporting is typically made to the authorized state environmental agency. The EPA is working to integrate data across programs in ECHO data tools for more comprehensive understanding.

What is the progression of colors in the map and how do they relate to the initial event report and the owner/operator response?

New events that come in are coded as black “new emission reported” and will progress to other colors based on responses received. Clicking on the gray circle with a white letter “i” in it next to the title of the map legend brings up a pop up with descriptions of the categories of methane super emitter events. 

Can I receive email alerts when an emissions event is reported in my local area?

The EPA is working on a tool to allow anyone to choose a geographic area and get an email when events in that area are posted to the Data Explorer. We expect that tool to be available in mid-2025. When available, the EPA will provide a link to that sign-up feature on the Methane Super Emitter Project Home Page.

Is there training on how to use the site and what the data means?

The EPA will be hosting annual trainings on how to make use of the Data Explorer. Links to recorded videos and slide decks on discrete topics will be posted on the Methane Super Emitter Program Home Page.

Is there a way to link to methane event reports?

The URL for each specific emissions event is stable, so users can link to the report by copying the URL and pasting it on their website.

Are any web services available from the Data Explorer?

The EPA will add Methane Super Emitter Program Web Service documentation to https://echo.epa.gov/tools/web-services by mid-2025.

How does EPA know that the events reported by Third Parties are credible?

The EPA has several indications that the information is credible, starting with the rigorous certification process that third parties must go through before becoming certified to submit information on events to the EPA. The Rule also requires Third-Party Notifiers to sign an attestation statement for each notification that the information submitted by the third-party notifier is true and accurate to the best of the notifier's knowledge. The Rule also requires the EPA to review the submitted third-party information for completeness and accuracy before the EPA sends a notification to an owner/operator, and before posting the information online. Further, if an owner/operator who has received an EPA notification identifies a demonstrable error in it, they may include a statement of the demonstrable error in their report to the EPA. Finally, the Rule includes a process for removing certified Third Parties from the list of approved Third-Party Notifiers in certain circumstances.

If the EPA is not receiving accurate information from a certified Third Party, can their certification be removed?

Yes. The Final Rule for Oil and Natural Gas Operations describes reasons why a Third Party might be decertified, which include making material changes to their technology without seeking recertification, persistently submitting data with significant errors (e.g., misidentification of the owner or operator), engaging in illegal activity during the assessment of the event, such as trespassing to obtain the data, or in response to a petition for removal from an owner or operator who has received more than three notices for the same facility with meaningful and/or demonstrable errors that were submitted by the same Third-Party Notifier.

Is there anything that a member of the public can do to alert the EPA to a methane emissions event if they are not a Third Party?

If a member of public wishes who is not a Third Party wishes to alert the EPA to a methane emissions event they can use Report a Violation, available here: 

https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations

If the member of the public sees an environmental event that may lead to an immediate threat to human health or the environment, call 911, then report it to the National Response Center at: 1-800-424-8802.

Does the EPA accept and publish event notifications if they are found not to be within the oil and gas sector?

Notifications of methane releases that meet the Rule’s definition of a super emitter event and that have been reviewed by the EPA for completeness and accuracy, as required in the Rule, are published to the Data Explorer. As specified in the EPA’s rule, “a super-emitter event is defined [in part] as any emissions event that is located at or near an oil and natural gas facility (e.g., individual well site, centralized production facility, natural gas processing plant, or compressor station).” Further, certified Third Parties submitting information to the EPA are required to submit specified information for each event, including identification of the “[o]wner(s) or operator(s) of any oil and natural gas facility…within 50 meters of the latitude and longitude coordinates of the super-emitter event, if available.” While the program is focused on super emitter events from oil and gas facilities, it is possible that the EPA may receive and publish information from an event that is near an oil or gas facility but where the EPA is not able to ascertain that the event is from that facility, or from any oil or gas facility. In those situations, events are marked on the EPA’s website with the white “Unknown” icon, shown in the map legend.

If an oil or gas company receives a notification for a facility they do not own, will the EPA’s website post the name of the recipient on the Data Explorer? If an inaccurate attribution has been posted, how can an owner/operator get the company name removed?

You can find the answer to this question on the FAQ section of the Owner-Operator page.