Key dates
4 Aug 2024
Entry into force (20 days after OJ publication of 15.7.2024)
5 May 2025
LDAR programme submitted to the competent authority for existing sites (Art. 14(1))
5 Aug 2025
First type 2 LDAR survey of all components completed for existing sites (Art. 14(2))
new sites
LDAR programme within 6 months, first type 2 survey within 9 months of start of operations
What the rule requires
Article references are to the text in the Official Journal; summaries are informational, not legal advice.
| LDAR programme — Art. 14(1) | Written programme with survey types, timelines and methods; updated when changed. |
| Survey frequencies — Annex I Part 1 | Type 1 surveys: compressor stations, underground storage, LNG facilities, regulating & metering stations every 4 months; valve stations every 9 months. Type 2: 8 and 18 months. Distribution/transmission networks: by material — e.g. grey cast iron / bitumen sheet every 3 months (type 1), protected steel / PE / PVC every 15–24 months. |
| Detection thresholds — Art. 14(8) | Type 1: 7 000 ppmv CH₄ or 17 g/h. Type 2: 500 ppmv or 1 g/h for aboveground components (1 000 ppmv / 5 g/h for the second step on underground components; 7 000 ppmv / 17 g/h offshore below sea level). |
| Repair deadlines — Art. 14(9) | Repair or replacement immediately after detection; if not possible, first attempt no later than 5 days and completion within 30 days after detection. Delays must be notified with evidence and a repair & monitoring schedule (Annex II) within 12 days. |
| Measurement & reporting — Art. 12 | Source-level quantification, then site-level measurements to reconcile the source-level estimates; reports verified by an independent verifier (Art. 8). |
| Venting & flaring — Art. 15–17 | Venting and routine flaring prohibited except in defined situations; events above thresholds reported. |
What you have to measure
- CH₄ concentration at components (ppm) against the 500 / 1 000 / 7 000 ppmv thresholds — handheld or continuous
- CH₄ mass rate (g/h) for quantification and the repair decision
- Continuous CH₄ at compressor and metering stations for site-level reconciliation
- CH₄ + CO₂ of biomethane at the grid injection point (composition, not just leaks)
// Missed survey frequencies or repair deadlines are infringements under national penalty regimes (Art. 33); unverified reports are rejected by the verifier; from 2027 importers must document producers' measurement practice (Annex IX).
What we are building for this rule
Continuous, self-locating methane detection — the gap between a scheduled handheld survey and what the rule will demand.
Between surveys, a leak stays invisible. We are building a plant-wide mesh of chip-scale laser nodes that watches every component continuously and names the leaking joint — hands-free, with a continuous record for MRV/LDAR reporting. The laser chip is in development; we do not sell this system yet.
Questions engineers ask
Does the Regulation prescribe the detection technology?
No. It sets thresholds in ppmv or g/h and refers to standards to be established under Art. 32; until then 'state-of-the-art industry practices and the best technologies that are commercially available' apply (Art. 14(1)).
Where does continuous, self-locating detection fit?
The rule fixes survey frequencies and thresholds — but between scheduled surveys, a leak stays invisible. A continuous, plant-wide mesh that locates and names the leaking component is what closes that gap, and it is exactly what we are building. It is R&D in development; we do not sell this system yet.
Is this only for big operators?
It applies to all operators of assets in scope (production, gathering, processing, transmission, distribution, storage, LNG) regardless of size; only frequencies differ by component and material.
Talk to us
Operators, pilot sites, investors and partners for continuous methane detection.
Other regulations
SF₆ switchgearF-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573LDAR surveys, repair deadlinMethane Regulation (EU) 2024/1787Permits, BAT-AELs, continuouIndustrial Emissions DirectiveCarbon border adjustmentCBAMIndoor air quality monitorinEPBD recastToxic and combustible gas deWorkplace: exposure limits (2017/164, 20Digester control and grid-inBiomethane: REPowerEU target & EN 16723
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1787, OJ L, 15.7.2024 — Art. 8, 12, 14(1)–(9), 15–17, 32, 38, Annex I Part 1, Annex II, Annex IX; text saved 2026-09-17 from EUR-Lex
// Read from the Official Journal texts on 2026-09-17. Regulations change — verify the current consolidated text before acting.