WESTAR Technical Conference
On Oil and Gas Development
October 21-23, 2008
Colorado State Bank Building
1600 Broadway, 5th Floor
Denver, Colorado
Agenda
Audience and Objective: This conference is intended for state air quality agency officials
with responsibility for assessing and regulating air pollution from oil and gas
development. The purpose of the conference is for states to share information about oil
and gas development trends, air quality impacts, and planning and regulatory programs to
address the impacts.
Tuesday, October 21
1:00-1:15
Welcome and introductions, Dave McNeill, UT DEQ, Bob Lebens,
WESTAR
1:15-1:45
Air quality and oil and gas development, Dave McNeill
Dave McNeill will provide a broad overview of the air quality impacts associated with oil
and gas development in the West and the implications of the development on the ozone
and PM2.5 NAAQS.
1:45-2:45
Trends in oil and gas development on federal lands in the West. Oil and
gas equipment types, controls and emission rates, Scott Archer, BLM
Scott Archer will present a broad overview of oil and gas development trends, emissions
from drill rigs, flares, tanks, pipelines and compressors and discuss recent control
technology developments.
2:45-3:00
Break
3:00-5:00
How and where does oil and gas development impact air quality?
State round table discussion of oil and gas development trends.
Each representative will give a brief (15-20 minute) presentation on current and
anticipated oil and gas development activities including: their location; the type of
development; and, emissions and air quality trends. Mark McMillan, CO; Todd Peterson,
ND; Rita Bates, NM; Brock LeBaron,UT; Mark Smith, WY.
5:00
Adjourn for the day
Wednesday, October 22
8:00-8:45
Wyoming winter ozone monitoring and modeling analysis, Lori Bocchino,
WY DEQ
Lori Bocchino will update the states on ozone monitoring and modeling analyses in SW
Wyoming.
8:45-9:45
Current regional and state air quality assessments
Uintah Basin, Kathleen Sgamma, IPAMS
Four Corners, Rita Bates, NM Air Bureau
Presenters will summarize regional air quality analyses.
9:45-10:00
Break
10:00-11:00
Current regional and state air quality assessments (continued)
WRAP Phase III, Lee Gribovicz, WRAP
11:00-12:00
Conducting regional air quality assessments, Tom Moore, WRAP
Presentation on the potential future WRAP analysis of cumulative impacts of energy
development.
12:00-1:30
Lunch
1:30-2:30
Oil and gas development and the NEPA process, Brian St. George, BLM,
Larry Svoboda, EPA
The speakers will discuss NEPA and air quality analysis in oil and gas development.
2:30-2:45
Break
2:45-3:15
Transportation related emissions, Dave McNeill
Presentation of the Utah DOT report quantifying the traffic associated with oil field
development, followed by a discussion of transportation related emissions from oil and
gas development.
3:15-4:15
Oil shale, Bob Randall, Colorado Department of Natural Resources,
Donald Law, EPA
Broad overview of oil shale development history, resource potential, as well as potential
air quality impacts in western U.S. addressing the following questions: What is the
resource base? What are the current “realistic” methods for extraction and recovery?
What level of development may be on the horizon? What are the economic realities of
developing the resource? What infrastructure changes would need to occur? What will
be the energy demand to develop the resource? What are the federal air regulatory
requirements for oil shale development?
4:15–5:00
Moore
Oil and gas development and climate change emissions accounting, Tom
Discussion of the WRAP oil and gas exploration and production, and natural gas
gathering and processing greenhouse gas accounting protocol.
5:00
Adjourn for the day
Thursday, October 23
8:00-9:30
Roundtable discussion of rule changes and other actions states and EPA
are taking to address oil and gas development related air emissions.
Each representative will give a brief (10 minute) overview of current permitting
requirements and planned regulatory actions to address air quality impacts from oil and
gas development. Rose Waldman, CO; Jim Semerad, ND; Rita Bates, NM; Tim DeJulis,
UT; Lori Bocchino, WY; Donald Law, EPA
9:30-9:45
Break
9:45-11:30
What else can/should be done to address air quality impacts from oil and
gas development - How do we get there from here?
Roundtable discussion
11:30-12:00
Wrap up and adjourn