(B) After five consecutive quarterly leak detection
periods with the percent of valves leaking equal to or less than 2.0%
using EPA Method 21, an owner or operator may begin to skip three
of the quarterly leak detection periods for the valves in gas/vapor
and light liquid service.
(8) All component monitoring must occur when the component
is in contact with process material and the process unit is in service.
If a unit is not operating during the required monitoring period but
a component in that unit is in contact with process fluid that is
circulating or under pressure, then that component is considered to
be in service and is required to be monitored. Valves must be in gaseous
or light liquid service to be considered in the total valve count
for alternate valve monitoring schedules of paragraph (7) of this
subsection.
(9) Monitored screening concentrations must be recorded
for each component in gaseous or light liquid service. Notations such
as "pegged," "off scale," "leaking," "not leaking," or "below leak
definition" may not be substituted for hydrocarbon gas analyzer results.
For readings that are higher than the upper end of the scale (i.e.,
pegged) even when using the highest scale setting or a dilution probe,
a default pegged value of 100,000 ppmv must be recorded. This requirement
does not apply to monitoring using an optical gas imaging instrument,
which makes emissions visible that may otherwise be invisible to the
naked eye, in accordance with §115.358 of this title.
(10) The owner or operator shall check all new connectors
for leaks within 30 days of being placed in VOC service by monitoring
with a hydrocarbon gas analyzer for components in light-liquid and
gas service and by using visual, audio, and/or olfactory means for
components in heavy-liquid service. Components that are unsafe-to-monitor
or inspect are exempt from this requirement if they are monitored
or inspected as soon as possible during times that are safe to monitor.
(11) For any fugitive emission component for which
the owner or operator elects to use the alternative work practice
in §115.358 of this title, the following provisions apply.
(A) At a natural gas processing plant, the frequency
for monitoring components listed in this section must be the frequency
determined according to §115.358 of this title. At a well site
or gathering and boosting station, the frequency for monitoring components
using optical gas imaging is the frequency in paragraph (3) of this
subsection.
(B) The alternative monitoring schedules allowed under
paragraph (7) of this subsection are not allowed.
(C) At a well site or gathering and boosting station,
the requirements in §115.358 of this title, except for the requirements
in §115.358(e) and (f) of this title, apply in addition to the
appropriate requirements in this section. At a natural gas processing
plant, the requirements in §115.358 of this title apply in addition
to the applicable requirements in this section.
(D) The owner or operator may still classify a component
as unsafe-to-monitor as allowed under subsection (c) of this section
if the component cannot safely be monitored using either a hydrocarbon
gas analyzer or the alternative work practice. The owner or operator
may use either EPA Method 21 in 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A-7 or the
alternative work practice at the monitoring frequency specified in
paragraph (3) of this subsection. Any component classified as unsafe-to-monitor
under the alternative work practice must be identified as such in
the list required in §115.180(7) of this title.
(E) If the executive director determines that there
is an excessive number of leaks in any given process area for which
the alternative work practice in §115.358 of this title is used,
the executive director may require an increase in the frequency of
monitoring under the alternative work practice in that process area.
(c) An owner or operator is not required to comply
with monitoring frequencies in subsection (b) of this section for
any fugitive emission component designated as unsafe-to-monitor or
difficult-to-monitor.
(1) Any component, except closed vent systems, designated
difficult-to-monitor must be monitored at least once per calendar
year. Difficult-to-monitor closed vent system components must be monitored
at least once every five years.
(2) Any component designated unsafe-to-monitor must
be monitored as frequently as practicable during a time when it is
safe-to-monitor, not to exceed the monitoring frequency in subsection
(b) of this section.
(3) The number of components designated as difficult-to-monitor
may not exceed 3% of total affected components in the same classification
(e.g., pumps, valves, flanges, connectors etc.) at the site.
(4) The owner or operator shall inspect all flanges
weekly by audio, visual, and olfactory means, excluding flanges that
are monitored at least once each calendar year using EPA Method 21
in 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A-7 and flanges that are difficult-to-monitor
and unsafe-to-monitor. Flanges that are difficult-to-monitor and unsafe-to-monitor
must be identified in a list made available upon request. If a difficult-to-monitor
or an unsafe-to-monitor flange is not considered safe to inspect within
the required weekly time frame, then it must be inspected as soon
as possible during a time that it is safe to inspect.
(5) Relief valves that are designated as unsafe-to-monitor
must be monitored as soon as possible during times that are safe to
monitor after any release event. Relief valves that are designated
as difficult-to-monitor must be monitored within 15 days after a release.
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