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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 116CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION BY PERMITS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OR MODIFICATION
SUBCHAPTER FSTANDARD PERMITS
RULE §116.620Installation and/or Modification of Oil and Gas Facilities

    (G) Accessible valves in VOC service shall be monitored by leak-checking for fugitive emissions at least quarterly using an approved gas analyzer. For valves equipped with rupture discs, a pressure gauge shall be installed between the relief valve and rupture disc to monitor disc integrity. All leaking discs shall be replaced at the earliest opportunity, but no later than the next process shutdown. Sealless/leakless valves (including, but not limited to, welded bonnet bellows and diaphragm valves) and relief valves equipped with a rupture disc or venting to a control device are exempt from monitoring.

    (H) Dual pump seals with barrier fluid at higher pressure than process pressure, seals degassing to vent control systems kept in good working order or seals equipped with an automatic seal failure detection and alarm system, submerged pumps, or sealless pumps (including, but not limited to, diaphragm, canned, or magnetic driven pumps) are exempt from monitoring.

    (I) All other pump and compressor seals emitting VOC shall be monitored with an approved gas analyzer at least quarterly.

    (J) After completion of the required quarterly inspections for a period of at least two years, the operator of the oil and gas facility may request in writing to the Office of Permitting, Remediation, and Registration that the monitoring schedule be revised based on the percent of valves leaking. The percent of valves leaking shall be determined by dividing the sum of valves leaking during current monitoring and valves for which repair has been delayed by the total number of valves subject to the requirements. This request shall include all data that has been developed to justify the following modifications in the monitoring schedule.

      (i) After two consecutive quarterly leak detection periods with the percent of valves leaking equal to or less than 2.0%, an owner or operator may begin to skip one of the quarterly leak detection periods for the valves in gas/vapor and light liquid service.

      (ii) After five consecutive quarterly leak detection periods with the percent of valves leaking equal to or less than 2.0%, 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.

    (K) A directed maintenance program shall be used and consist of the repair and maintenance of VOC fugitive emission components assisted simultaneously by the use of an approved gas analyzer such that a minimum concentration of leaking VOC is obtained for each component being maintained. Replaced components shall be remonitored within 30 days of being placed back into VOC service.

  (3) For owners and operators who are subject to the applicable parts of subsection (a)(11) of this section, auditory and visual checks for SO2 and H2S leaks within the operating area shall be made every day. Immediately, but no later than eight hours upon detection of a leak, operating personnel shall take the following actions:

    (A) isolate the leak; and

    (B) commence repair or replacement of the leaking component; or

    (C) use a leak collection/containment system to prevent the leak until repair or replacement can be made if immediate repair is not possible.

(d) Approved test methods.

  (1) An approved gas analyzer used for the VOC fugitive inspection and repair requirement in subsection (c) of this section, shall conform to requirements listed in 40 CFR §60.485(a) and (b).

  (2) Tutweiler analysis or equivalent shall be used to determine the H2S content as required under subsections (a) and (e) of this section.

  (3) Proper operation of any condenser used as a VOC emissions control device to comply with subsection (a)(5) of this section shall be tested to demonstrate compliance with the minimum control efficiency. Sampling shall occur within 60 days after start-up of new or modified facilities. The permittee shall contact the Engineering Services Section, Office of Compliance and Enforcement 45 days prior to sampling for approval of sampling protocol. The appropriate regional office in the region where the source is located shall also be contacted 45 days prior to sampling to provide them the opportunity to view the sampling. Neither the regional office nor the Engineering Services Section, Office of Compliance and Enforcement personnel are required to view the testing. Sampling reports which comply with the provisions of the "TNRCC Sampling Procedures Manual," Chapter 14 ("Contents of Sampling Reports," dated January 1983 and revised July 1985), shall be distributed to the appropriate regional office, any local programs, and the Engineering Services Section, Office of Compliance and Enforcement.

(e) Monitoring and recordkeeping requirements.

  (1) If the operator elects to install and maintain ambient H2S property line monitors to comply with subsection (a)(11) of this section, the monitors shall be approved by the Engineering Services Section, Office of Compliance and Enforcement office in Austin, and shall be capable of detecting and alarming at H2S concentrations of ten ppmv. Operations personnel shall perform an initial on-site inspection of the facility within 24 hours of initial alarm and take corrective actions as listed in subsection (c)(3)(A) - (C) of this section within eight hours of detection of a leak.

  (2) The results of the VOC leak detection and repair requirements shall be made available to the executive director or any air pollution control agency having jurisdiction upon request. Records, for all components, shall include:

    (A) appropriate dates;

    (B) test methods;

    (C) instrument readings;

    (D) repair results; and

    (E) corrective actions. Records of flange inspections are not required unless a leak is detected.

  (3) Records for repairs and replacements made due to inspections of H2S and SO2 components shall be maintained.

  (4) Records shall be kept for each production, processing, and pipeline tank battery or for each storage tank if not located at a tank battery, on a monthly basis, as follows:

    (A) tank battery identification or storage tank identification, if not located at a tank battery;

    (B) compound stored;

    (C) monthly throughput in barrels/month; and

    (D) cumulative annual throughput, barrels/year.

  (5) A plan shall be submitted to show how ongoing compliance will be demonstrated for the efficiency requirements listed in subsection (b)(1)(D) of this section. The demonstration may include, but is not limited to, monitoring flowrates, temperatures, or other operating parameters.

  (6) Records shall be kept on at least a monthly basis of all production facility flow rates (in standard cubic feet per day) and total sulfur content of process vents or flares or gas processing streams. Total sulfur shall be calculated in long tons per day.

  (7) Records shall be kept of all ambient property line monitor alarms and shall include the date, time, duration, and cause of alarm, date and time of initial on-site inspection, and date and time of corrective actions taken.

  (8) All required records shall be made available to representatives of the agency, the EPA, or local air pollution control agencies upon request and be kept for at least two years. All required records shall be kept at the plant site, unless the plant site is unmanned during business hours. For plant sites ordinarily unmanned during business hours, the records shall be maintained at the nearest office in the state having day-to-day operations control of the plant site.


Source Note: The provisions of this §116.620 adopted to be effective April 19, 1996, 21 TexReg 3192; amended to be effective July 8, 1998, 23 TexReg 6973; amended to be effective September 4, 2000, 25 TexReg 8668

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