Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A.
Applicability. This Section applies to any oil and gas production facility (SIC
Code 1311), natural gas processing plant (SIC Code 1321), or natural gas
transmission facility (SIC Code 4922) that has a potential to emit 25 Tons per
Year (TPY) or more of flash gas to the atmosphere in the parishes of Ascension,
East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge; 50 TPY or more
of flash gas to the atmosphere in the parish of Calcasieu; or 100 TPY or more
of flash gas to the atmosphere in any other parish.
Flash Gas- VOC emissions from
depressurization of crude oil or condensate when it is transferred from a
higher pressure to a lower pressure tank, reservoir, or other container. Flash
gas emitted to the atmosphere from tanks, reservoirs, process vessels,
separators, or other process equipment is subject to this Section. Emissions
from sampling and maintenance activities are not included.
C. Control Requirements. Any facility to
which this Section is applicable under Subsection A of this Section shall
install a vapor recovery system. The vapor recovery system shall direct vapors
to a fuel gas system, a sales gas system, an underground gas injection system,
or a control device.
1. For facilities in any
parish with a potential to emit 250 tons or more per year of flash gas,
aggregated facility flash gas emissions shall be reduced by a minimum of 95
percent.
2. For facilities in the
parishes of Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton
Rouge with a potential to emit less than 250 tons per year of flash gas,
aggregated facility flash gas emissions shall be reduced by a minimum of 95
percent or reduced to a potential to emit of less than 25 TPY by means of a
federally enforceable permit revision that permanently restricts production,
hours of operation, and/or capacity utilization or other equivalent control and
requires the maintenance of records to demonstrate compliance with the permit
restrictions.
3. For facilities in
the parish of Calcasieu with a potential to emit less than 250 tons per year of
flash gas, aggregated facility flash gas emissions shall be reduced by a
minimum of 95 percent or reduced to a potential to emit of less than 50 TPY by
means of a federally enforceable permit revision that permanently restricts
production, hours of operation, and/or capacity utilization or other equivalent
control and requires the maintenance of records to demonstrate compliance with
the permit restrictions.
4. For
facilities in parishes other than Ascension, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge,
Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge with a potential to emit less than
250 tons per year of flash gas, aggregated facility flash gas emissions shall
be reduced by a minimum of 95 percent or reduced to a potential to emit of less
than 100 TPY by means of a federally enforceable permit revision that
permanently restricts production, hours of operation, and/or capacity
utilization or other equivalent control and requires the maintenance of records
to demonstrate compliance with the permit restrictions.
D. Exemptions. The following are exempt from
the requirements of this Section:
1.
facilities that are required by the NESHAP for oil and natural gas production (
40 CFR Part 63 Subpart HH) to install controls for flash gas
emissions;
2. tanks that have
installed controls to comply with requirements of the New Source Performance
Standards for storage vessels for petroleum liquid; and
3. temporary tanks associated with well
testing operations for a period of up to 90 days following initial production
from that well.
E.
Compliance Schedule. For equipment located in the parishes of Ascension, East
Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge, compliance shall be
achieved as soon as practicable, but no later than September 1, 1998. For
equipment located in the parish of Calcasieu with a potential to emit less than
100 TPY, compliance shall be achieved as soon as practicable, but no later than
August 20, 2003. For all other facilities compliance shall be achieved as soon
as practicable, but no later than May 1, 1999. A facility that has become
subject to this regulation as a result of a revision of the regulation shall
comply with the requirements of this Section as soon as practicable, but in no
event later than one year from the promulgation of the regulation
revision.
F. Test Methods
1. Flares. Flares will be considered in
compliance with Subsection C of this Section if the heat content of the gas is
above 300 Btu/scf and the flare is equipped with an automatic flare relighting
device, is equipped with a heat sensing device, or is visually checked daily to
detect the presence of a flame.
2.
Other Control Devices. The following test methods shall be used, where
appropriate, to measure control device compliance. A fuel gas system, a sales
gas system, or an underground injection system shall not be subject to this
testing requirement:
a. Test Methods 1-4 ( 40
CFR Part 60, Appendix A, as incorporated by reference in LAC 33:III.3003) for
determining flow rates, as necessary;
b. Test Method 18 ( 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix
A, as incorporated by reference in LAC 33:III.3003) for measuring gaseous
organic compound emissions by gas chromatographic analysis;
c. Test Method 21 ( 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix
A, as incorporated by reference in LAC 33:III.3003) for determination of
volatile organic compound leaks;
d.
Test Method 25 ( 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A, as incorporated by reference in
LAC 33:III.3003) for determining total gaseous nonmethane organic emissions,
such as carbon; and
e. additional
performance test procedures, or equivalent test methods, approved by the
administrative authority.
G. Monitoring/Recordkeeping/Reporting. The
owner/ operator of any oil and gas production facility shall maintain records
to verify compliance with or exemption from this Section. The records shall be
maintained on the premises, or at an alternative location approved by the
administrative authority, for at least five years and will include, but not be
limited to, the following:
1. the potential
to emit flash gas from emission points that vent to the atmosphere, determined
by using generally acceptable engineering calculation techniques or test
methods. The method of calculation or testing must be approved by the
administrative authority;
2. the
following information for control devices required under Subsection C of this
Section:
a. for flares:
i. the heat content of the gas;
ii. documentation of daily visual
observations to detect the presence of a flame, if required by Paragraph F.1 of
this Section; and
iii.
documentation of any failure to make a daily observation, including the
mitigating circumstances, such as severe weather;
b. for other control devices:
i. daily measurements of the inlet and outlet
gas temperature of a chiller or catalytic incinerator; or
ii. results of monitoring outlet VOC
concentration of carbon adsorption bed to detect breakthrough;
3. the date and reason
for any maintenance and repair of the applicable vapor recovery system and the
estimated quantity and duration of volatile organic compound emissions during
such activities. This requirement applies to vapors directed to a fuel gas
system, sales gas system, underground gas injection system, control device, or
any other system used to comply with Subsection C of this Section;
4. the results of any testing conducted in
accordance with the provisions specified in Subsection F of this Section;
and
5. all operating parameters
required to verify the validity of the flash gas emissions as calculated in
Paragraph G.1 of this Section.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
30:2054.
