As of September 2026, NSPS OOOOb and OOOOc are still in force, but many of their compliance deadlines have been extended. Through interim final rulemaking in 2025 and further action into 2026, the EPA pushed most OOOOb compliance dates out by roughly 18 months, to January 22, 2027, and moved the OOOOc state-plan deadline to the same date. The rules were not repealed. For Texas operators the practical risk now is not a tight clock; it is confusing an extension with a cancellation and letting programs lapse. This guide lays out what changed, what still applies, and what to do about it.
NSPS Quad O is the EPA's set of New Source Performance Standards for methane and volatile organic compound emissions from the oil and gas sector, at 40 CFR Part 60. The 2024 rule added two pieces:
Both were finalized in the Federal Register on March 8, 2024 and took effect May 7, 2024. For a fuller breakdown of which subpart applies to a given source, see our NSPS Quad O overview.
Beginning with an interim final rule effective in mid-2025 and continuing into 2026, the EPA extended a large set of OOOOb compliance deadlines and the OOOOc state-plan deadline. The table below summarizes the status of the major items as of September 2026. Because the situation remains in flux, treat these as a starting point and confirm the current date for any requirement that affects you.
| Requirement | Status as of September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Most OOOOb compliance requirements: storage-vessel provisions, tank-battery legally and practically enforceable (LPE) limits, flares and enclosed combustion devices, equipment-leak repair provisions, closed-vent system and cover monitoring, and zero-bleed process controllers | Extended roughly 18 months, to January 22, 2027 |
| Super emitter program (EPA implementation) | Extended to January 22, 2027 |
| Net heating value (NHV) monitoring for flares and enclosed combustion devices | Received a much shorter extension than the other items; confirm the current date directly with the EPA |
| OOOOc state-plan submissions | Extended to January 22, 2027 (previously March 9, 2026) |
| Compliance date for existing sources under OOOOc | Unchanged: March 2029 |
The extensions moved compliance dates; they did not switch the rule off. A few things are worth stating plainly:
One of the more significant pieces of OOOOb is the super emitter program, aimed at the largest releases. Under it, approved third parties using remote-detection technology can identify very large methane leaks, generally 100 kilograms per hour or more, and notify the operator, who must then investigate and respond within set timeframes. EPA's implementation of the program was among the items extended to January 22, 2027, but the underlying expectation, that large releases will increasingly be detected from outside the fence line, is not going away.
The extension is an opportunity, not a reprieve. The operators who use the time well will be ready when the date arrives; the ones who read the headline as a cancellation will be scrambling. A practical sequence:
The hard part of the current moment is not any single deadline; it is keeping track of a set of dates that have moved, while the underlying programs still have to be built. Tektite builds and runs LDAR programs for Texas operators and coordinates the federal NSPS requirements with TCEQ air-permit obligations, so nothing falls through the gap between an extended federal date and a state requirement that did not move. If you want a clear read on which of your sources are covered and what the current deadlines are, a focused review is the place to start.
This guide reflects the regulatory status as of September 2026 and is general information, not legal or compliance advice. NSPS OOOOb and OOOOc deadlines have been amended more than once and remain subject to change. Confirm the current requirements for your facilities with the EPA, the Federal Register, or a qualified environmental professional before making compliance decisions.