President Trump says cutting Biden-era methane rules will save $45 billion and unlock enough oil to cover about ten days of U.S. use — and he wants it done now.
Story Snapshot
- Trump announced an end to Biden-era methane rules at a Texas rally, citing $45 billion in savings and 210 million extra barrels of oil.
- The plan targets leak monitoring, marginal wells, the super-emitter program, and flaring limits described under the 2024 framework.
- Environmental groups counter with Biden-era estimates of 58 million tons of methane cuts and up to $98 billion in benefits.
- The rollback enters a legal and administrative maze before any savings or oil show up at the pump.
What Trump promised, where, and why it matters to your bills
President Trump told a Lubbock crowd he is “terminating” the Biden methane rule to save companies and consumers $45 billion and unlock 210 million barrels of oil. He framed it as a cost-of-living move and a boost for Texas energy workers. Reporters noted that 210 million barrels equals roughly ten days of U.S. petroleum use, a number meant to feel large yet plausible. The dollars and barrels came as rally lines, not as a spreadsheet tied to specific wells or timelines.
🚨 BREAKING: In a blockbuster move, President Trump hereby TERMINATES Biden's methane regulations to save $45 BILLION DOLLARS for US consumers and producers, and produce 210 MILLION barrels of oil
"We've been working on this a long time!"
HUGE!!! 🇺🇸
"I'm officially terminating… pic.twitter.com/lvU7y6ulHK
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 28, 2026
The Environmental Protection Agency rules that Trump aims to loosen or scrap hit four pressure points. First, leak monitoring at facilities. Second, extra checks on low-producing, older wells that often leak more per barrel. Third, a program to flag major emitters. Fourth, tighter rules on routine flaring. Pulling back on these rules would cut paperwork, gear needs, and site visits, which oil and gas firms say would free cash for drilling and keep marginal wells alive.
What changes on the ground for producers
Producers spend money on inspections, sensors, repair crews, and compliance staff. Older wells can be costly to monitor relative to their small output. The rollback’s core bet is simple: remove checks and the cost floor drops. More wells stay open. New wells pencil out at lower prices. Output rises. That logic fits supply-side math and aligns with a conservative view that lighter rules sharpen competition and lower costs. Whether those savings reach families, not just firms, remains unproven in the public record.
Supporters lean on speed. They argue companies can adjust field routines faster than agencies can revise rules, so relief could arrive within months at active sites. But the Environmental Protection Agency process rarely moves in a straight line. Proposals face comment periods, rewrites, and court fights. States with their own leak rules may hold the line. Lenders and large buyers may still demand methane controls as a risk screen. Any broad cost relief must clear these hurdles before it shapes national prices.
The counter-case: waste, health, and the value of captured gas
The Biden team’s case for the 2024 rule was blunt: leak cuts pay for themselves when you count climate and health gains, plus recovered gas. They cited nearly 80 percent cuts from business as usual, hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic air cuts, and up to $98 billion in net benefits after costs. The plan also aimed to capture gas worth real money if not lost to leaks and flares. These figures are not rally lines; they come from federal modeling and formal benefit-cost work.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his administration is “terminating” a Biden-era rule aimed at cutting planet-warming methane emissions from oil and gas operations.
Bravo Trump 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻
Trump Announces Rollback of Biden Methane Rule
— Elena (@helen44767171) October 28, 2026
Environmental groups say the rollback is a free pass to waste valuable gas and worsen local air. They argue methane traps heat fast and that stopping leaks is among the cheapest wins. They also note that wasted gas could power millions of homes if captured. That narrative has bite because it treats leaks as lost product and public harm, not red tape. The Associated Press summarized the core claim and the scale of promised climate and health gains under the Biden approach.
The real question: costs to companies or savings for families?
Both sides talk about savings, but they count different things. Trump’s number refers to lower private compliance costs, which can raise margins and may support jobs and drilling. Biden-era math tallied avoided damage, cleaner air, and recovered gas along with costs. That is why the same barrel and the same leak can look cheap or costly depending on the ledger you use. A smart test is simple: watch retail prices, not press releases, and check whether producers expand output and cut fees.
What to watch next
First, the Environmental Protection Agency docket. If the agency posts the economic analysis that backs the $45 billion claim, we will see the time frame, well counts, and rule changes that drive it. Second, legal filings. If courts pause the rollback, promised gains stall. Third, state actions. Texas and New Mexico often set the tone for field practice in the Permian Basin. Fourth, company guidance. Producers will tell investors if this changes cash costs or drilling plans in 2027 and beyond.
Sources:
thehill.com, foxbusiness.com, bignewsnetwork.com
