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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 106PERMITS BY RULE
SUBCHAPTER OOIL AND GAS
RULE §106.359Planned Maintenance, Startup, and Shutdown (MSS) at Oil and Gas Handling and Production Facilities

(a) Applicability. This section applies to certain authorized oil and gas handling or production facilities or sites, and authorizes emissions from planned maintenance, startup, and shutdown (MSS) facilities and activities, and any associated emission capture and control facilities, if all of the applicable requirements of this section are met.

  (1) This section does not apply to oil and gas handling or production facilities or sites authorized under §106.352(a) - (k) of this title (relating to Oil and Gas Handling and Production Facilities), subsections (a) - (k) of the non-rule Air Quality Standard Permit for Oil and Gas Handling and Production Facilities, §106.355 of this title (relating to Pipeline Metering, Purging, and Maintenance), or Subchapter U of this chapter (relating to Tanks, Storage, and Loading).

  (2) This section may not be used to supersede an existing authorization for planned MSS under this chapter or §116.620 of this title (relating to Installation and/or Modification of Oil and Gas Facilities) unless any previously represented emission control methods, techniques, and devices remain in use and there is no resulting increase in hourly emissions.

(b) Activities. Planned MSS activities and facilities authorized by this section include the following:

  (1) engine, compressor, turbine, and other combustion facilities maintenance;

  (2) repair, adjustment, calibration, lubrication, and cleaning of site process equipment;

  (3) replacement of piping components, pneumatic controllers, boiler refractories, wet and dry seals, meters, instruments, analyzers, screens, and filters;

  (4) turbine or engine component swaps;

  (5) piping used to bypass a facility during maintenance;

  (6) planned MSS activities with the same character and quantity of emissions as those listed in paragraphs (1) - (5) of this subsection;

  (7) pigging and purging of piping;

  (8) blowdowns;

  (9) emptying, purging, degassing, or refilling of process equipment, storage tanks and vessels (except landing floating roof tanks for convenience purposes), if subparagraphs (A) - (C) of this paragraph are met.

    (A) all contents from process equipment or tanks must be removed to the maximum extent practicable prior to opening facilities to commence degassing and maintenance.

    (B) facilities must be degassed using best management practices to ensure air contaminants are removed from the system to the extent allowed by facility design.

    (C) tanks may be emptied or degassed by forced ventilation if:

      (i) only one vacuum truck is in use at any time;

      (ii) emissions are directed out the top of the tank; or

      (iii) emissions are routed through a closed system to a control device.

  (10) abrasive blasting, surface preparation, and surface coating of facilities and structures used at the site in oil and gas handling and production.

(c) Best Management Practices.

  (1) All facilities with the potential to emit air contaminants must be maintained in good condition and operated properly.

  (2) Each permit holder shall establish, implement, and update, as appropriate, a program to maintain and repair facilities as required by paragraph (1) of this subsection. The minimum requirements of this program must include:

    (A) a maintenance program developed by the permit holder for all facilities that is consistent with good air pollution control practices, or alternatively, manufacturer's specifications and recommended programs applicable to facility performance and the effect on emissions;

    (B) cleaning and routine inspection of all facilities;

    (C) repair of facilities on timeframes that minimize failures and maintain performance;

    (D) training of personnel who implement the maintenance program; and

    (E) records of conducted planned MSS activities.


Source Note: The provisions of this §106.359 adopted to be effective September 10, 2013, 38 TexReg 5271

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