Subpart UU Information Sheet

Overview

Subpart UU of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) (40 CFR 98.470 – 98.478) applies to any facility that injects any amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the subsurface and meets the Subpart UU source category definition. Some subparts have thresholds that determine applicability for reporting, and some do not. To decide whether your facility must report under this Subpart, please refer to 40 CFR  98.271 and the GHGRP Applicability Tool.

This Information Sheet is intended to help facilities reporting under Subpart AA understand how the source category is defined, what greenhouse gases (GHGs) must be reported, how GHG emissions must be calculated and shared with EPA, and where to find more information.

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On this page:

• How is This Source Category Defined?
• What GHGs Must Be Reported?
• How Must GHG Emissions Be Calculated?
• What Information Must Be Reported?
• What Records Must Be Maintained?
• When and How Must Reported Be Submitted?
• When Can a Facility Stop Reporting?
• For More Information

How is This Source Category Defined?

The Subpart UU source category comprises a well or group of wells that inject carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the subsurface, including Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class II wells used to enhance oil and gas recovery and wells receiving a geologic sequestration (GS) research and development (R&D) exemption from Subpart RR. Facilities that report under Subpart RR or Subpart VV for a well or group of wells shall not report under Subpart UU for that well or group of wells.

What GHGs Must Be Reported?

All facilities that inject CO₂ underground must report basic information on the amount of CO₂ received for injection.

If multiple Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) source categories are co-located at a facility, the facility may also need to report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under a different subpart. Please refer to the relevant information sheet for a summary of the rule requirements for any other source categories located at the facility.

How Must GHG Emissions Be Calculated?

All facilities that inject CO₂ underground must calculate the mass of CO₂ received using mass or volumetric flow meters (or the mass or volume of containers), based on the CO₂ concentration in the flow. Where flow meters are used to calculate data, CO₂ flow and concentration data must be collected quarterly and aggregated to an annual quantity. To minimize the purchase and installation of new equipment, facilities subject to the UIC program may utilize the CO₂ flow meters installed for purposes of compliance with their existing UIC permits to calculate the CO₂ flow data. For facilities receiving CO₂ in containers, the mass or volume of contents in containers and concentration data must be collected quarterly and aggregated to an annual quantity.

What Information Must Be Reported?

In addition to the information required by the General Provisions in Subpart A, found at 40 CFR 98.3(c), the following must be reported:

• The annual mass of CO₂ received for injection.
• The annual mass of CO₂ received that is redelivered to another facility without being injected into a well at the receiving facility.
• The source of the CO₂ received, from the following categories:
  • CO₂ production wells;
  • Electric generating units;
  • Ethanol (C₂H₆O) plants;
  • Pulp and paper mills;
  • Natural gas processing;
  • Gasification operations;
  • Other anthropogenic sources;
  • CO₂ received from a discontinued enhanced oil and gas recovery project; and
  • Unknown.

What Records Must Be Maintained?

Reporters are required to retain records that pertain to their annual GHGRP report for at least three years after the date the report is submitted. Please see the Subpart A Information Sheet and 40 CFR 98.3(g) for general recordkeeping requirements. Specific recordkeeping requirements for Subpart AA are listed at 40 CFR § 98.277.

When and How Must Reports Be Submitted?

Reporters must submit their annual GHGRP reports for the previous calendar year to the EPA by March 31^st, unless the 31^st falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, in which case reports are due on the next business day. Annual reports must be submitted electronically using the electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool (e-GGRT), the GHGRP’s online reporting system. For facilities required to use the e-GGRT Inputs Verifier Tool (IVT), reporters must enter required data into the e-GGRT IVT, which includes inputs to emission equations for which reporting is not required. IVT uses these data to calculate the equation results.

Additional information on setting up user accounts, registering a facility, and submitting annual reports is available on the GHGRP Help webpage.

When Can a Facility Stop Reporting?

A facility may discontinue reporting under several scenarios, which are summarized in Subpart A (found at 40 CFR 98.2(i)) and the Subpart A Information Sheet.

For More Information

For additional information on Subpart UU, please visit the Subpart AA webpage. For additional information on the GHGRP, please visit the GHGRP website, which includes additional information sheets, data previously reported to the GHGRP, training materials, and links to Frequently Asked Questions. For questions that cannot be answered through the GHGRP website, please contact us at: [email protected].

This Information Sheet is provided solely for informational purposes. It does not replace the need to read and comply with the regulatory text contained in the rule. Rather, it is intended to help reporting facilities and suppliers understand key provisions of the GHGRP. It does not provide legal advice; have a legally binding effect; or expressly or implicitly create, expand, or limit any legal rights, obligations, responsibilities, expectations, or benefits with regard to any person or entity.

Archived Versions

Subpart UU Information Sheet

• UU Information Sheet (pdf) (38.21 KB)