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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 115CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SUBCHAPTER DPETROLEUM REFINING, NATURAL GAS PROCESSING, AND PETROCHEMICAL PROCESSES
DIVISION 3FUGITIVE EMISSION CONTROL IN PETROLEUM REFINING, NATURAL GAS/GASOLINE PROCESSING, AND PETROCHEMICAL PROCESSES IN OZONE NONATTAINMENT AREAS
RULE §115.357Exemptions

For all affected persons in the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston-Galveston-Brazoria areas, as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), the following exemptions apply.

  (1) Components that contact a process fluid containing volatile organic compounds (VOC) having a true vapor pressure equal to or less than 0.044 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) (0.3 kilopascals) at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) are exempt from the instrument monitoring (with a hydrocarbon gas analyzer) requirements of §115.354(1) and (2) of this title (relating to Monitoring and Inspection Requirements) if the components are inspected by visual, audio, and/or olfactory means according to the inspection schedules specified in §115.354(1) and (2) of this title.

  (2) Conservation vents or other devices on atmospheric storage tanks that are actuated either by a vacuum or a pressure of no more than 2.5 pounds per square inch gauge (psig), pressure relief valves equipped with a rupture disk or venting to a control device, components in continuous vacuum service, and valves that are not externally regulated (such as in-line check valves) are exempt from the requirements of this division, except that each pressure relief valve equipped with a rupture disk must comply with §115.352(9) and §115.356(3)(C) of this title (relating to Control Requirements and Recordkeeping Requirements).

  (3) Compressors in hydrogen service are exempt from the requirements of §115.354 of this title if the owner or operator demonstrates that the percent hydrogen content can be reasonably expected to always exceed 50.0% by volume.

  (4) All pumps and compressors that are equipped with a shaft sealing system that prevents or detects emissions of VOC from the seal are exempt from the monitoring requirement of §115.354 of this title. These seal systems may include, but are not limited to, 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) may be used to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph.

  (5) Reciprocating compressors and positive displacement pumps used in natural gas/gasoline processing operations are exempt from the requirements of this division except §115.356(3)(C) of this title.

  (6) Components at a petroleum refinery or synthetic organic chemical, polymer, resin, or methyl-tert-butyl ether manufacturing process, that contact a process fluid that contains less than 10% VOC by weight and components at a natural gas/gasoline processing operation that contact a process fluid that contains less than 1.0% VOC by weight are exempt from the requirements of this division except §115.356(3)(C) of this title.

  (7) Plant sites covered by a single account number with less than 250 components in VOC service are exempt from the requirements of this division except §115.356(3)(C) of this title.

  (8) Components in ethylene, propane, or propylene service, not to exceed 5.0% of the total components, may be classified as non-repairable beyond the second repair attempt at 500 parts per million by volume (ppmv). These components will remain in the fugitive monitoring program and be repaired no later than 15 calendar days after the concentration of VOC detected via Method 21 in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 60, Appendix A-7 (October 17, 2000) exceeds 10,000 ppmv. For the purposes of this division, components that contact a process fluid with greater than 85% ethylene, propane, or propylene by weight are considered in ethylene, propane, or propylene service, respectively. If the owner or operator elects to use the alternative work practice in §115.358 of this title (relating to Alternative Work Practice), this exemption may not be claimed for any component that is monitored according to the alternative work practice unless the owner or operator demonstrates the leak concentration does not exceed 10,000 ppmv using Method 21 and the owner or operator continues to monitor the component using both the alternative work practice and Method 21 according to the frequency specified in §115.358 of this title.

  (9) The following valves are exempt from the requirements of §115.352(4) of this title:

    (A) pressure relief valves;

    (B) open-ended valves or lines in an emergency shutdown system that are designed to open automatically in the event of an emissions event;

    (C) open-ended valves or lines containing materials that would autocatalytically polymerize or would present an explosion, serious overpressure, or other safety hazard if capped or equipped with a double block and bleed system; and

    (D) valves rated greater than 10,000 psig.

  (10) Instrumentation systems, as defined in 40 CFR §63.161 (January 17, 1997), that meet 40 CFR §63.169 (June 20, 1996) are exempt from the requirements of this division except §115.356(3)(C) of this title.

  (11) Sampling connection systems, as defined in 40 CFR §63.161 (January 17, 1997), that meet the requirements of 40 CFR §63.166(a) and (b) (June 20, 1996) are exempt from the requirements of this division except §115.356(3)(C) of this title.

  (12) Components that are insulated, making them inaccessible to monitoring with a hydrocarbon gas analyzer, are exempt from the monitoring requirements of §115.354(1), (2), and (4) of this title.

  (13) Components/systems that contact a process fluid containing VOC having a true vapor pressure equal to or less than 0.002 psia at 68 degrees Fahrenheit are exempt from the requirements of this division except §115.356(3)(C) of this title.

  (14) In the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria area, the requirements of Subchapter H of this chapter (relating to Highly-Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds) may apply to components that qualify for one or more of the exemptions in paragraphs (1) - (11) of this section at any petroleum refinery; synthetic organic chemical, polymer, resin, or methyl-tert-butyl ether manufacturing process; or natural gas/gasoline processing operation in which a highly-reactive volatile organic compound, as defined in §115.10 of this title (relating to Definitions), is a raw material, intermediate, final product, or in a waste stream.

  (15) Beginning January 1, 2023, any natural gas/gasoline processing operation that is subject to the compliance requirements of Subchapter B, Division 7 of this chapter (relating to Oil and Natural Gas in Ozone Nonattainment Areas) in the Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston-Galveston-Brazoria area is exempt from all requirements in this division.


Source Note: The provisions of this §115.357 adopted to be effective December 3, 1993, 18 TexReg 8538; amended to be effective May 27, 1994, 19 TexReg 3703; amended to be effective May 22, 1997, 22 TexReg 4213; amended to be effective May 16, 2002, 27 TexReg 4113; amended to be effective January 17, 2003, 28 TexReg 113; amended to be effective November 13, 2003, 28 TexReg 9835; amended to be effective December 23, 2004, 29 TexReg 11705; amendedto be effective June 24, 2010, 35 TexReg 5293; amended to be effective July 21, 2021, 46 TexReg 4313

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