Oil and Gas Alternative Test Methods

Alternative Test Method(s) for the New Source Performance Standards and Emission Guidelines for Oil and Natural Gas Operations

EPA’s final New Source Performance Standards and Emission Guidelines for Oil and Natural Gas Operations provide owners and operators the opportunity to use advance monitoring technologies to meet certain requirements in the final rule.

Use this site to submit Alternative Test Method (ATM) requests to the Administrator for approval under provisions outlined in 40 CFR 60.5398b(d). These provisions incorporate specific criteria for the review, evaluation, and potential use of advanced methane detection technology for periodic screening, continuous monitoring, and/or super-emitter detection and are designed to facilitate state-of-the-art detection methods for emission sources. Technology providers and oil and natural gas owners and operators may submit requests for alternative test methods to demonstrate the performance of advanced methane detection technologies.

The application portal is now open!

Before submitting a new alternative test method application request, please review:

• The requirements in the final rule and
• The Guideline Document for Alternative Test Method Requests for the Oil and Natural Gas Advanced Methane Technology Program.  

Then use these instructions to apply for an account (pdf) (388.23 KB) to access the Methane Alternative Test Method Application Submission Portal. Note: You only need an account to submit alternative test method applications. You do not need an account to browse Alternative Test Method Requests in the portal

The application portal can be accessed at https://methane.app.cloud.gov/.

Approved Alternative Test Methods 

(listed from most recently approved)

Approval Date	Company	Alt-Tech ID	Approval ID/ Approval Letter	Application	Leak Resolution (kg/hour of methane	Approved Alternative Test Method
May 13, 2025	Clean Connect	ALTTECH-44	MATM-011 Clean Connect Alternative Test Method Letter (pdf) (304.42 KB, 05/13/2025, MATM-011 Letter)	Periodic Screening	<5 kg/hour	Clean Connect LeakFinder System Alternative Test Method (MATM-011) (pdf) (1.83 MB, 05/13/2025, MATM-011)
April 16, 2025	Project Canary	ALTTECH-75; ALTTECH-76; ALTTECH-77	MATM-010 Project Canary Alt-tech Approval Letter (pdf) (423.97 KB, 04/16/2025, MATM-010 Letter)	Periodic Screening	<5 kg/hour; <10 kg/hour;  <15 kg/hour	Project Canary Alternative Test Method (MATM-010) (pdf) (468.39 KB, 04/16/2025, MATM-010)
April 15, 2025	Sensirion Connected Solutions AG	ALTTECH-27; ALTTECH-28; ALTTECH-29; ALTTECH-30; ALTTECH-31; ALTTECH-32	MATM-009 Sensirion Connected Solutions AG Alt-tech Approval Letter (pdf) (229.5 KB, 04/15/2025, MATM-009)	Periodic Screening	<1 kg/hour;  <2 kg/hour; <3 kg/hour; <5 kg/hour; <10 kg/hour;  <15 kg/hour	Sensirion Connected Solutions AG Alternative test Method (MATM-009) (pdf) (1.23 MB, 04/15/2025, ATM MATM-009)
March 14, 2025	Qube Technologies, Inc.	ALTTECH-78;  ALTTECH-79;  ALTTECH-80	MATM-008 Qube Technologies Alt-Tech Approval Letter (pdf) (190.73 KB, 03/20/2025, MATM-008)	Periodic Screening	< 5 kg/hour; < 10 kg/hour;  < 15 kg/hour	Qube Technologies Alternative Test Method (MATM-008) (pdf) (2.05 MB, 03/14/2025, MTG-MATM-008)
February 21, 2025	GHG Sat	ALTTECH-21	MATM-007 GHG Sat Alt-Tech Approval Letter (pdf) (288 KB, 02/21/2025, MTG Letter MATM-007)	Periodic Screening	< 15 kg/hour	GHG Sat - Aerial Monitoring Alternative Test Method (MATM-007) (pdf) (962.63 KB, 02/21/2025, MTG-MATM-007)
February 21, 2025	Champion X	ALTTECH-12	MATM-006 Champion X Alt-Tech Approval Letter (MATM-006) (pdf) (292.2 KB, 02/21/2025, MTG letter MATM-006)	Periodic Screening	<1 kg/hour	Champion X - Aerial OGI Alternative test Method (MATM-006) (pdf) (712.6 KB, 02/21/2025, MTG-MATM-006)
February 21, 2025	LongPath Technologies	ALTTECH-50, ALTTECH-51, ALTTECH-52, ALTTECH-53, ALTTECH-54, ALTTECH-55	MATM-005 LongPath Alt-Tech Approval Letter (MATM-005) (pdf) (279.79 KB, 02/21/2025, MTG Letter - MATM-005)	Periodic Screening	<1 kg/hour;  <2 kg/hour; <3 kg/hour; <5 kg/hour; <10 kg/hour;  <15 kg/hour	Long Path Technologies - Methane Sensing Network Alternative Test Method (MATM-005) (pdf) (1.61 MB, 02/21/2025)
January 14, 2025	Insight M	ALTTECH-24, ALTTECH-25	MATM-004 Insight M Alt-Tech Approval (pdf) (274.07 KB, 01/14/2025)	Periodic Screening	<10 kg/hour; < 15 kg/hour	Insight M LeakSurveyor Alternative Test Method (MATM-004) (pdf) (681.15 KB, 01142025)
January 14, 2025	Xplorobot	ALTTECH-20	MATM-003 Xplorobot Alt-Tech Approval (pdf) (256.23 KB, 01/14/2025)	Periodic Screening	<1 kg/hour	Xplorobot Laser Gas Imager Alternative Test Method (MATM-003) (pdf) (833.51 KB, 01/14/2025)
January 14, 2025	Bridger Photonics Inc.	ALTTECH-14, ALTTECH-15, ALTTECH-16, ALTTECH-17, ALTTECH-18, ALTTECH-19	MATM-002 Bridger Photonics Alt-Tech Approval (pdf) (307.26 KB, 01/14/2025)	Periodic Screening	<1 kg/hour;  <2 kg/hour; <3 kg/hour; <5 kg/hour; <10 kg/hour;  <15 kg/hour	Bridger Photonics Aerial System Alternative Test Method (MATM-002) (pdf) (1.67 MB, 01/14/2025)
January 2, 2025	Carbon Mapper Inc.	ALTTECH-58	MATM-001 Carbon Mapper Alt-Tech Approval (pdf) (310.1 KB, January 2, 2025, MTG-2025-003)	Super Emitter Program	>100 kg/hr	Edit mediaCarbon Mapper Airborne System Alternative Test Method (MATM-001) (pdf) (1.28 MB, January 2, 2025, MTG-2025-001)

Additional Information

Alternative Test Method - Advanced Methane Detection Technology Webinar - April 15, 2024

This webinar focused on the options in the final rule for using advanced methane detection technologies, such as satellite monitoring, aerial surveys, and continuous monitors, to find leaks or Super-Emitter events. The webinar included details on the process for applying to use alternative test methods and what needs to be included in the application. 

• Slides from the Alternative Test Method - Advanced Methane Detection Technology Webinar (pdf) (11.5 MB)
• Watch the recorded Advanced Methane Detection Technology Webinar (opens in new window).

Learn more about EPA’s rules for oil and natural gas operations.