Wyoming regulators have approved ATX Energy Partners’ request to flare for a short period natural gas that exceeds state limits at three wells in Johnson County in the Powder River Basin (PRB).

ATX, the successor to Brigham Resources that was formed last year, may flare up to 1 MMcf/d, four times the normal limit of 250 Mcf/d, based on an exception approved Tuesday by the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (OGCC).

The exempt wells are about 14 miles from the nearest gas pipeline in the PRB.

“The request by ATX was an exception to the rule as they requested a flaring amount in excess of the allowable amount under our flaring rule, which allows a maximum of 250 Mcf/d,” said OGCC’s Mark Watson, oil and gas supervisor.

ATX is allowed to exceed the flaring volumes for only six months, following an initial completion test.

The flaring exception was requested as part of an ATX proposal to build a pipeline that would connect with an existing network owned by a subsidiary of Meritage Midstream. ATX first wants to prove that the wells will produce enough gas to justify the pipeline connection.

Wyoming set flaring rules three years ago that require operators to provide gas capture plans, including information on pipeline availability, locations and capacity, along with downstream gas processing plant locations and capacities.

State officials have been strong critics of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management‘s proposed rules for gas flaring and venting.