The American Petroleum Institute is protesting
a new government report urging tougher standards for natural gas drilling that the trade group says overlooks existing regulations and industry improvements.

FuelFix reports that the API is filing 10 pages of comments that take issue with several of the recommendations from the group, which was tapped by Energy Secretary Steven Chu to study ways to boost the safety and environmental performance of natural gas production nationwide.

In its interim report issued last week, the panel urged the industry and regulators to cut emissions at drilling sites and better track the way water is used at those operations. The group also urged the creation of a national database on water use in hydraulic fracturing, a technique used for extracting natural gas from dense shale rock formations.

Erik Milito, API’s upstream director, said that overlooks plenty of work that’s already been done.

“The report failed to recognize the strong regulations and industry protections that are already in place,” Milito said on a conference call with reporters today. Milito said he wished the group had acknowledged existing regulatory programs “and various steps taken by industry . . . which is committed to continuously improving.”

MORE …