40 C.F.R. § 60.5430c

Current through November 30, 2024

Section 60.5430c - What definitions apply to this subpart?

As used in this subpart, all terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given them in the Act or in subpart A of this part; and the following terms shall have the specific meanings given them.

Access to electrical power means commercial line power is available onsite, with sufficient capacity to support the required power loading of onsite equipment, and which provides reliable and consistent power.

Acid gas means a gas stream of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) that has been separated from sour natural gas by a sweetening unit.

Alaskan North Slope means the approximately 69,000 square-mile area extending from the Brooks Range to the Arctic Ocean.

API Gravity means the weight per unit volume of hydrocarbon liquids as measured by a system recommended by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and is expressed in degrees.

Artificial lift equipment means mechanical pumps including, but not limited to, rod pumps and electric submersible pumps used to flowback fluids from a well.

Associated gas means the natural gas from wells operated primarily for oil production that is released from the liquid hydrocarbon during the initial stage of separation after the wellhead. Associated gas production begins at the startup of production after the flow back period ends. Gas from wildcat or delineation wells is not associated gas.

Average aggregate detection threshold means:

(1) For the purposes of § 60.5398c , the average of all site-level detection thresholds from a single deployment (e.g., a singular flight that surveys multiple well sites, centralized production facility, and/or compressor stations) of a technology; and

(2) For the purposes of § 60.5388c , the average of all site-level detection thresholds from a single deployment in the same basin and field.

Bleed rate means the rate in standard cubic feet per hour at which natural gas is continuously vented (bleeds) from a process controller.

Capital expenditure means, as an alternative to the definition in § 60.2 , an expenditure for a physical or operational change to an existing facility that:

(1) Exceeds P, the product of the facility's replacement cost, R, and an adjusted annual asset guideline repair allowance, A, as reflected by the following equation: P = R * A, where:

(i) The adjusted annual asset guideline repair allowance, A, is the product of the percent of the replacement cost, Y, and the applicable basic annual asset guideline repair allowance, B, divided by 100 as reflected by the following equation: A = Y * (B ÷ 100);

(ii) The percent Y is determined from the following equation: Y = (CPI of date of construction/most recently available CPI of date of project), where the "CPI-U, U.S. city average, all items" must be used for each CPI value; and

(iii) The applicable basic annual asset guideline repair allowance, B, is 4.5.

(2) [Reserved]

Centralized production facility means one or more storage vessels and all equipment at a single surface site used to gather, for the purpose of sale or processing to sell, crude oil, condensate, produced water, or intermediate hydrocarbon liquid from one or more offsite natural gas or oil production wells. This equipment includes, but is not limited to, equipment used for storage, separation, treating, dehydration, artificial lift, combustion, compression, pumping, metering, monitoring, and flowline. Process vessels and process tanks are not considered storage vessels or storage tanks. A centralized production facility is located upstream of the natural gas processing plant or the crude oil pipeline breakout station and is a part of producing operations.

Centrifugal compressor means any machine for raising the pressure of a natural gas by drawing in low pressure natural gas and discharging significantly higher-pressure natural gas by means of mechanical rotating vanes or impellers. Screw, sliding vane, and liquid ring compressors are not centrifugal compressors for the purposes of this subpart.

Centrifugal compressor equipped with sour seal oil separator and capture system means a wet seal centrifugal compressor system which has an intermediate closed process that degasses most of the gas entrained in the sour seal oil and sends that gas to either another process or combustion device (i.e., degassed emissions are recovered). The de-gas emissions are routed back to a process or combustion device directly from the intermediate closed degassing process; after the intermediate closed process the oil is ultimately recycled for recirculation in the seals to the lube oil tank where any small amount of residual gas is released through a vent.

Certifying official means one of the following:

(1) For a corporation: A president, secretary, treasurer, or vice-president of the corporation in charge of a principal business function, or any other person who performs similar policy or decision-making functions for the corporation, or a duly authorized representative of such person if the representative is responsible for the overall operation of one or more manufacturing, production, or operating facilities with a designated facility subject to this subpart and either:

(i) The facilities employ more than 250 persons or have gross annual sales or expenditures exceeding $25 million (in second quarter 1980 dollars); or

(ii) The Administrator is notified of such delegation of authority prior to the exercise of that authority. The Administrator reserves the right to evaluate such delegation;

(2) For a partnership (including but not limited to general partnerships, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships) or sole proprietorship: A general partner or the proprietor, respectively. If a general partner is a corporation, the provisions of paragraph (1) of this definition apply;

(3) For a municipality, State, Federal, or other public agency: Either a principal executive officer or ranking elected official. For the purposes of this part, a principal executive officer of a Federal agency includes the chief executive officer having responsibility for the overall operations of a principal geographic unit of the agency (e.g., a Regional Administrator of EPA); or

(4) For designated facilities:

(i) The designated representative in so far as actions, standards, requirements, or prohibitions under title IV of the CAA or the regulations promulgated thereunder are concerned; or

(ii) The designated representative for any other purposes under this part.

Closed vent system means a system that is not open to the atmosphere and that is composed of hard-piping, ductwork, connections, and, if necessary, flow-inducing devices that transport gas or vapor from a piece or pieces of equipment to a control device or back to a process.

Coil tubing cleanout means the process where an operator runs a string of coil tubing to the packed proppant within a well and jets the well to dislodge the proppant and provide sufficient lift energy to flow it to the surface. Coil tubing cleanout includes mechanical methods to remove solids and/or debris from a wellbore.

Collection system means any infrastructure that conveys gas or liquids from the well site to another location for treatment, storage, processing, recycling, disposal, or other handling.

Completion combustion device means any ignition device, installed horizontally or vertically, used in exploration and production operations to combust otherwise vented emissions from completions. Completion combustion devices include pit flares.

Compressor mode means the operational and pressurized status of a compressor. For both centrifugal compressors and reciprocating compressors, "mode" refers to either: Operating-mode, standby-pressurized-mode, or not-operating-depressurized-mode.

Compressor station means any permanent combination of one or more compressors that move natural gas at increased pressure through gathering or transmission pipelines, or into or out of storage. This includes, but is not limited to, gathering and boosting stations and transmission compressor stations. The combination of one or more compressors located at a well site, centralized production facility, or an onshore natural gas processing plant, is not a compressor station for purposes of § 60.5386c(e) and § 60.5397c .

Condensate means hydrocarbon liquid separated from natural gas that condenses due to changes in the temperature, pressure, or both, and remains liquid at standard conditions.

Connector means flanged, screwed, or other joined fittings used to connect two pipe lines or a pipe line and a piece of process equipment or that close an opening in a pipe that could be connected to another pipe. Joined fittings welded completely around the circumference of the interface are not considered connectors for the purpose of this regulation.

Continuous bleed means a continuous flow of pneumatic supply natural gas to a process controller.

Crude oil and natural gas source category means:

(1) Crude oil production, which includes the well and extends to the point of custody transfer to the crude oil transmission pipeline or any other forms of transportation; and

(2) Natural gas production, processing, transmission, and storage, which include the well and extend to, but do not include, the local distribution company custody transfer station.

Custody meter means the meter where natural gas or hydrocarbon liquids are measured for sales, transfers, and/or royalty determination.

Custody meter assembly means an assembly of fugitive emissions components, including the custody meter, valves, flanges, and connectors necessary for the proper operation of the custody meter.

Custody transfer means the transfer of crude oil or natural gas after processing and/or treatment in the producing operations, or from storage vessels or automatic transfer facilities or other such equipment, including product loading racks, to pipelines or any other forms of transportation.

Dehydrator means a device in which an absorbent directly contacts a natural gas stream and absorbs water in a contact tower or adsorption column (absorber).

Delineation well means a well drilled in order to determine the boundary of a field or producing reservoir.

Deviation means any instance in which a designated source subject to this subpart, or an owner or operator of such a source:

(1) Fails to meet any requirement or obligation established by this subpart including, but not limited to, any emission limit, operating limit, or work practice standard;

(2) Fails to meet any term or condition that is adopted to implement an applicable requirement in this subpart and that is included in the operating permit for any designated source required to obtain such a permit; or

(3) Fails to meet any emission limit, operating limit, or work practice standard of this subpart during startup, shutdown, or malfunction, regardless of whether or not such failure is permitted by this subpart.

Distance piece means an open or enclosed casing through which the piston rod travels, separating the compressor cylinder from the crankcase.

Double block and bleed system means two block valves connected in series with a bleed valve or line that can vent the line between the two block valves.

Duct work means a conveyance system such as those commonly used for heating and ventilation systems. It is often made of sheet metal and often has sections connected by screw or crimping. Hard-piping is not ductwork.

Emergency shutdown device means a device which functions exclusively to protect personnel and/or prevent physical damage to equipment by shutting down equipment or gas flow during unsafe conditions resulting from an unexpected event, such as a pipe break or fire. For the purposes of this subpart, an emergency shutdown device is not used for routine control of operating conditions.

Equipment, as used in the standards and requirements of this subpart relative to the process unit equipment designated facility at onshore natural gas processing plants, means each pump, pressure relief device, open-ended valve or line, valve, and flange or other connector that has the potential to emit methane and any device or system required by those same standards and requirements of this subpart.

Field gas means feedstock gas entering the natural gas processing plant.

Field gas gathering means the system used transport field gas from a field to the main pipeline in the area.

First attempt at repair means an action taken for the purpose of stopping or reducing fugitive emissions to the atmosphere. First attempts at repair include, but are not limited to, the following practices where practicable and appropriate: Tightening bonnet bolts; replacing bonnet bolts; tightening packing gland nuts; or injecting lubricant into lubricated packing.

Flare means a thermal oxidation system using an open (without enclosure) flame. Completion combustion devices as defined in this section are not considered flares.

Flow line means a pipeline used to transport oil and/or gas to a processing facility or a mainline pipeline.

Flowback means the process of allowing fluids and entrained solids to flow from a well following a treatment, either in preparation for a subsequent phase of treatment or in preparation for cleanup and returning the well to production. The term flowback also means the fluids and entrained solids that emerge from a well during the flowback process. The flowback period begins when material introduced into the well during the treatment returns to the surface following hydraulic fracturing or refracturing. The flowback period ends when either the well is shut in and permanently disconnected from the flowback equipment or at the startup of production. The flowback period includes the initial flowback stage and the separation flowback stage. Screenouts, coil tubing cleanouts, and plug drill-outs are not considered part of the flowback process.

Fuel gas means gases that are combusted to derive useful work or heat.

Fuel gas system means the offsite and onsite piping and flow and pressure control system that gathers gaseous stream(s) generated by onsite operations, may blend them with other sources of gas, and transports the gaseous stream for use as fuel gas in combustion devices or in-process combustion equipment, such as furnaces and gas turbines, either singly or in combination.

Fugitive emissions means, for the purposes of § 60.5397c , any indication of emissions observed from a fugitive emissions component using AVO, an indication of visible emissions observed from an OGI instrument, or an instrument reading of 500 ppmv or greater using Method 21 of appendix A-7 to this part.

Fugitive emissions component means any component that has the potential to emit fugitive emissions of methane at a well site, centralized production facility, or compressor station, such as valves (including separator dump valves), connectors, pressure relief devices, open-ended lines, flanges, covers and closed vent systems not subject to § 60.5411c , thief hatches or other openings on a storage vessel not subject to § 60.5396c , compressors, instruments, meters, and yard piping.

Gas to oil ratio (GOR) means the ratio of the volume of gas at standard temperature and pressure that is produced from a volume of oil when depressurized to standard temperature and pressure.

Hard-piping means pipe or tubing that is manufactured and properly installed using good engineering judgment and standards such as ASME B31.3, Process Piping (available from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, P.O. Box 2300, Fairfield, NJ 07007-2300).

Hydraulic fracturing means the process of directing pressurized fluids containing any combination of water, proppant, and any added chemicals to penetrate tight formations, such as shale or coal formations, that subsequently require high rate, extended flowback to expel fracture fluids and solids during completions.

Hydraulic refracturing means conducting a subsequent hydraulic fracturing operation at a well that has previously undergone a hydraulic fracturing operation.

In gas/vapor service means that the piece of equipment contains process fluid that is in the gaseous state at operating conditions.

In heavy liquid service means that the piece of equipment is not in gas/vapor service or in light liquid service.

In light liquid service means that the piece of equipment contains a liquid that meets the conditions specified in § 60.5402c(d)(2) or § 60.5406c .

In vacuum service means that equipment is operating at an internal pressure which is at least 5 kilopascals (kPa) (0.7 psia) below ambient pressure.

In wet gas service means that a compressor or piece of equipment contains or contacts the field gas before the extraction step at a gas processing plant process unit.

Initial calibration value, as used in the standards and requirements of this subpart relative to the process unit equipment designated facility at onshore natural gas processing plants, means the concentration measured during the initial calibration at the beginning of each day required in § 60.5406c , or the most recent calibration if the instrument is recalibrated during the day (i.e., the calibration is adjusted) after a calibration drift assessment.

Initial flowback stage means the period during a well completion operation which begins at the onset of flowback and ends at the separation flowback stage.

Intermediate hydrocarbon liquid means any naturally occurring, unrefined petroleum liquid.

Intermittent vent natural gas-driven process controller means a process controller that is not designed to have a continuous bleed rate but is instead designed to only release natural gas to the atmosphere as part of the actuation cycle.

Liquefied natural gas unit means a unit used to cool natural gas to the point at which it is condensed into a liquid which is colorless, odorless, non-corrosive and non-toxic.

Liquid collection system means tankage and/or lines at a well site to contain liquids from one or more wells or to convey liquids to another site.

Liquids dripping means any visible leakage from the seal, including spraying, misting, clouding, and ice formation.

Liquids unloading means the unloading of liquids that have accumulated over time in gas wells, which are impeding or halting production. Routine well maintenance activities, including workovers, screenouts, coil tubing cleanouts, or any other activity that requires a rig or other machinery are not considered liquids unloading.

Local distribution company (LDC) custody transfer station means a metering station where the LDC receives a natural gas supply from an upstream supplier, which may be an interstate transmission pipeline or a local natural gas producer, for delivery to customers through the LDC's intrastate transmission or distribution lines.

Low-e valve means a valve (including its specific packing assembly) for which the manufacturer has issued a written warranty or performance guarantee that it will not emit fugitives at greater than 100 ppm in the first five years. A valve may qualify as a low-e valve if it is as an extension of another valve that has qualified as a low-e valve.

Low-e packing means a valve packing product for which the manufacturer has issued a written warranty or performance guarantee that it will not emit fugitives at greater than 100 ppm in the first five years. Low-e injectable packing is a type of low-e packing product for which the manufacturer has also issued a written warranty or performance guarantee and that can be injected into a valve during a "drill-and-tap" repair of the valve.

Major production and processing equipment means reciprocating or centrifugal compressors, glycol dehydrators, heater/treaters, separators, control devices, natural gas-driven process controllers, natural gas-driven pumps, and storage vessels or tank batteries collecting crude oil, condensate, intermediate hydrocarbon liquids, or produced water, for the purpose of determining whether a well site is a wellhead only well site.

Maximum average daily throughput means the following:

(1) The earliest calculation of daily average throughput, determined as described in paragraph (2) or (3) of this definition, to a tank battery over the days that production is routed to that tank battery during the 30-day PTE evaluation period employing generally accepted methods specified in § 60.5386c(e)(2) .

(2) If throughput to the tank battery is measured on a daily basis (e.g., via level gauge automation or daily manual gauging), the maximum average daily throughput is the average of all daily throughputs for days on which throughput was routed to the tank battery during the 30-day evaluation period; or

(3) If throughput to the tank battery is not measured on a daily basis (e.g., via manual gauging at the start and end of loadouts), the maximum average daily throughput is the highest, of the average daily throughputs, determined for any production period to that tank battery during the 30-day evaluation period, as determined by averaging total throughput to that tank battery over each production period. A production period begins when production begins to be routed to a tank battery and ends either when throughput is routed away from that tank battery or when a loadout occurs from that tank battery, whichever happens first. Regardless of the determination methodology, operators must not include days during which throughput is not routed to the tank battery when calculating maximum average daily throughput for that tank battery.

Multi-wellhead only well site means a well site that contains two or more wellheads and no major production and processing equipment.

Natural gas-driven diaphragm pump means a positive displacement pump powered by pressurized natural gas that uses the reciprocating action of flexible diaphragms in conjunction with check valves to pump a fluid. A pump in which a fluid is displaced by a piston driven by a diaphragm is not considered a diaphragm pump for purposes of this subpart. A lean glycol circulation pump that relies on energy exchange with the rich glycol from the contactor is not considered a diaphragm pump.

Natural gas-driven piston pump means a positive displacement pump powered by pressurized natural gas that moves and pressurizes fluid by using one or more reciprocating pistons. A pump in which a fluid is displaced by a piston driven by a diaphragm is considered a piston pump for purposes of this subpart. A lean glycol circulation pump that relies on energy exchange with the rich glycol from the contactor is not considered a piston pump.

Natural gas-driven process controller means a process controller powered by pressurized natural gas.

Natural gas liquids means the hydrocarbons, such as ethane, propane, butane, and pentane that are extracted from field gas.

Natural gas processing plant (gas plant) means any processing site engaged in the extraction of natural gas liquids from field gas, fractionation of mixed natural gas liquids to natural gas products, or both. A Joule-Thompson valve, a dew point depression valve, or an isolated or standalone Joule-Thompson skid is not a natural gas processing plant.

Natural gas transmission means the pipelines used for the long-distance transport of natural gas (excluding processing). Specific equipment used in natural gas transmission includes the land, mains, valves, meters, boosters, regulators, storage vessels, dehydrators, compressors, and their driving units and appurtenances, and equipment used for transporting gas from a production plant, delivery point of purchased gas, gathering system, storage area, or other wholesale source of gas to one or more distribution area(s).

No detectable emissions means, for the purposes of §§ 60.5401c and 60.5406c , that the equipment is operating with an instrument reading of less than 500 ppmv above background, as determined by Method 21 of appendix A-7 to this part.

No identifiable emissions means, for the purposes of covers, closed vent systems, and self-contained natural gas-driven process controllers and as determined according to the provisions of § 60.5416c , that no emissions are detected by AVO means when inspections are conducted by AVO; no emissions are imaged with an OGI camera when inspections are conducted with OGI; and equipment is operating with an instrument reading of less than 500 ppmv above background, as determined by Method 21 of appendix A-7 to this part when inspections are conducted with Method 21.

Nonfractionating plant means any gas plant that does not fractionate mixed natural gas liquids into natural gas products.

Non-natural gas-driven process controller means an instrument that is actuated using other sources of power than pressurized natural gas; examples include solar, electric, and instrument air.

Onshore means all facilities except those that are located in the territorial seas or on the outer continental shelf.

Open-ended valve or line or open-ended vent line means any valves, except safety relief valves, having one side of the valve seat in contact with process fluid and one side open to the atmosphere, either directly or through open piping.

Plug drill-out means the removal of a plug (or plugs) that was used to isolate different sections of the well.

Process controller means an automated instrument used for maintaining a process condition such as liquid level, pressure, delta-pressure and temperature.

Pressure release means the emission of materials resulting from system pressure being greater than set pressure of the pressure relief device.

Pressure vessel means a storage vessel that is used to store liquids or gases and is designed not to vent to the atmosphere as a result of compression of the vapor headspace in the pressure vessel during filling of the pressure vessel to its design capacity.

Pressurized mode means when the compressor contains natural gas that is maintained at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure.

Process improvement means routine changes made for safety and occupational health requirements, for energy savings, for better utility, for ease of maintenance and operation, for correction of design deficiencies, for bottleneck removal, for changing product requirements, or for environmental control.

Process unit means components assembled for the extraction of natural gas liquids from field gas, the fractionation of the liquids into natural gas products, or other operations associated with the processing of natural gas products. A process unit can operate independently if supplied with sufficient feed or raw materials and sufficient storage facilities for the products.

Process unit shutdown means a work practice or operational procedure that stops production from a process unit or part of a process unit during which it is technically feasible to clear process material from a process unit or part of a process unit consistent with safety constraints and during which repairs can be accomplished. The following are not considered process unit shutdowns:

(1) An unscheduled work practice or operational procedure that stops production from a process unit or part of a process unit for less than 24 hours.

(2) An unscheduled work practice or operational procedure that would stop production from a process unit or part of a process unit for a shorter period of time than would be required to clear the process unit or part of the process unit of materials and start up the unit, and would result in greater emissions than delay of repair of leaking components until the next scheduled process unit shutdown.

(3) The use of spare equipment and technically feasible bypassing of equipment without stopping production.

Produced water means water that is extracted from the earth from an oil or natural gas production well, or that is separated from crude oil, condensate, or natural gas after extraction.

Qualified Professional Engineer means an individual who is licensed by a state as a Professional Engineer to practice one or more disciplines of engineering and who is qualified by education, technical knowledge and experience to make the specific technical certifications required under this subpart. Professional engineers making these certifications must be currently licensed in at least one state in which the certifying official is located.

Quarter means a 3-month period. For purposes of standards for process unit equipment designated facilities at onshore natural gas processing plants, the first quarter concludes on the last day of the last full month during the 180 days following initial startup.

Reciprocating compressor means a piece of equipment that increases the pressure of a process gas by positive displacement, employing linear movement of the driveshaft.

Reciprocating compressor rod packing means a series of flexible rings in machined metal cups that fit around the reciprocating compressor piston rod to create a seal limiting the amount of compressed natural gas that escapes to the atmosphere, or other mechanism that provides the same function.

Recovered gas means gas recovered through the separation process during flowback.

Recovered liquids means any crude oil, condensate or produced water recovered through the separation process during flowback.

Reduced emissions completion means a well completion following fracturing or refracturing where gas flowback that is otherwise vented is captured, cleaned, and routed to the gas flow line or collection system, re-injected into the well or another well, used as an onsite fuel source, or used for other useful purpose that a purchased fuel or raw material would serve, with no direct release to the atmosphere.

Reduced sulfur compounds means H₂S, carbonyl sulfide (COS), and carbon disulfide (CS₂).

Removed from service means that a storage vessel designated facility has been physically isolated and disconnected from the process for a purpose other than maintenance in accordance with § 60.5396c(c)(1) .

Repaired means the following:

(1) For the purposes of fugitive emissions components designated facilities, that fugitive emissions components are adjusted, replaced, or otherwise altered, in order to eliminate fugitive emissions as defined in § 60.5397c and resurveyed as specified in § 60.5397c(h)(4) and it is verified that emissions from the fugitive emissions components are below the applicable fugitive emissions definition.

(2) For the purposes of process unit equipment designated facilities, that equipment is adjusted, or otherwise altered, in order to eliminate a leak as defined in §§ 60.5400c and 60.5401c and is re-monitored as specified in § 60.5400c(b) introductory text or § 60.5406c , respectively, to verify that emissions from the equipment are below the applicable leak definition. Pumps in light liquid service subject to § 60.5400c(c)(2) or § 60.5401c(b)(1)(ii) are not subject to re-monitoring.

Replacement cost means the capital needed to purchase all the depreciable components in a facility.

Returned to service means that a storage vessel designated facility that was removed from service has been:

(1) Reconnected to the original source of liquids or has been used to replace any storage vessel designated facility; or

(2) Installed in any location covered by this subpart and introduced with crude oil, condensate, intermediate hydrocarbon liquids or produced water.

Routed to a process or route to a process means the emissions are conveyed via a closed vent system to any enclosed portion of a process that is operational where the emissions are predominantly recycled and/or consumed in the same manner as a material that fulfills the same function in the process and/or transformed by chemical reaction into materials that are not regulated materials and/or incorporated into a product; and/or recovered.

Salable quality gas means natural gas that meets the flow line or collection system operator specifications, regardless of whether such gas is sold.

Screenout means an attempt to clear proppant from the wellbore to dislodge the proppant out of the well.

Self-contained process controller means a natural gas-driven process controller that releases gas into the downstream piping and not to the atmosphere, resulting in zero methane emissions.

Self-contained wet seal centrifugal compressor means:

(1) A wet seal centrifugal compressor system that is a closed process that ports the degassing emissions into the natural gas line at the compressor suction (i.e., degassed emissions are recovered) or which has an intermediate closed process that degasses most of the gas entrained in the seal oil and sends that gas to another process. The de-gas emissions are routed back to suction or process directly from the closed or intermediate closed degassing process; after the closed or intermediate closed degassing process the oil is ultimately recycled for recirculation in the seals to the lube oil tank where any small amount of residual gas is released through a vent.

(2) A wet seal centrifugal compressor equipped with mechanical wet seals, where

(1) a differential pressure is maintained on the system and there is no off gassing of the lube oil, and

(2) the mechanical seal is integrated into the compressor housing.

Sensor means a device that measures a physical quantity or the change in a physical quantity such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, pH, or liquid level.

Separation flowback stage means the period during a well completion operation when it is technically feasible for a separator to function. The separation flowback stage ends either at the startup of production, or when the well is shut in and permanently disconnected from the flowback equipment.

Separator dump valve means, for purposes of the fugitive emission standards in §§ 60.5397c and 60.5398c , a liquid-control valve in a separator that controls the liquid level within the separator vessel.

Single wellhead only well site means a wellhead only well site that contains only one wellhead and no major production and processing equipment.

Small well site means, for purposes of the fugitive emissions standards in §§ 60.5397c and 60.5398c , a well site that contains a single wellhead, no more than one piece of certain major production and processing equipment, and associated meters and yard piping. Small well sites cannot include any controlled storage vessels (or controlled tank batteries), control devices, or natural gas-driven process controllers, or natural gas-driven pumps.

Startup of production means the beginning of initial flow following the end of flowback when there is continuous recovery of salable quality gas and separation and recovery of any crude oil, condensate, or produced water, except as otherwise provided in this definition. For the purposes of the fugitive monitoring requirements of § 60.5397c , startup of production means the beginning of the continuous recovery of salable quality gas and separation and recovery of any crude oil, condensate, or produced water.

Storage vessel means a tank or other vessel that contains an accumulation of crude oil, condensate, intermediate hydrocarbon liquids, or produced water, and that is constructed primarily of nonearthen materials (such as wood, concrete, steel, fiberglass, or plastic) which provide structural support. A well completion vessel that receives recovered liquids from a well after startup of production following flowback for a period which exceeds 60 days is considered a storage vessel under this subpart. A tank or other vessel shall not be considered a storage vessel if it has been removed from service in accordance with the requirements of § 60.5396c(c)(1) until such time as such tank or other vessel has been returned to service. For the purposes of this subpart, the following are not considered storage vessels:

(1) Vessels that are skid-mounted or permanently attached to something that is mobile (such as trucks, railcars, barges or ships), and are intended to be located at a site for less than 180 consecutive days. If you do not keep or are not able to produce records, as required by § 60.5420c(c)(6)(v) , showing that the vessel has been located at a site for less than 180 consecutive days, the vessel described herein is considered to be a storage vessel from the date the original vessel was first located at the site. This exclusion does not apply to a well completion vessel as described above.

(2) Process vessels such as surge control vessels, bottoms receivers or knockout vessels.

(3) Pressure vessels designed to operate in excess of 204.9 kilopascals and without emissions to the atmosphere.

Sulfur production rate means the rate of liquid sulfur accumulation from the sulfur recovery unit.

Sulfur recovery unit means a process device that recovers element sulfur from acid gas.

Surface site means any combination of one or more graded pad sites, gravel pad sites, foundations, platforms, or the immediate physical location upon which equipment is physically affixed.

Sweetening unit means a process device that removes hydrogen sulfide and/or carbon dioxide from the sour natural gas stream.

Tank battery means a group of all storage vessels that are manifolded together for liquid transfer. A tank battery may consist of a single storage vessel if only one storage vessel is present.

Total Reduced Sulfur (TRS) means the sum of the sulfur compounds hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide as measured by Method 16 of appendix A-6 to this part.

Total SO₂equivalents means the sum of volumetric or mass concentrations of the sulfur compounds obtained by adding the quantity existing as SO₂ to the quantity of SO₂ that would be obtained if all reduced sulfur compounds were converted to SO₂ (ppmv or kg/dscm (lb/dscf)).

UIC Class I oilfield disposal well means a well with a UIC Class I permit that meets the definition in 40 CFR 144.6(a)(2) and receives eligible fluids from oil and natural gas exploration and production operations.

UIC Class II oilfield disposal well means a well with a UIC Class II permit where wastewater resulting from oil and natural gas production operations is injected into underground porous rock formations not productive of oil or gas, and sealed above and below by unbroken, impermeable strata.

Underground storage vessel means a storage vessel stored below ground.

Well means a hole drilled for the purpose of producing oil or natural gas, or a well into which fluids are injected.

Well completion means the process that allows for the flowback of petroleum or natural gas from newly drilled wells to expel drilling and reservoir fluids and tests the reservoir flow characteristics, which may vent produced hydrocarbons to the atmosphere via an open pit or tank.

Well completion operation means any well completion with hydraulic fracturing or refracturing occurring at a well completion designated facility.

Well completion vessel means a vessel that contains flowback during a well completion operation following hydraulic fracturing or refracturing. A well completion vessel may be a lined earthen pit, a tank or other vessel that is skid-mounted or portable. A well completion vessel that receives recovered liquids from a well after startup of production following flowback for a period which exceeds 60 days is considered a storage vessel under this subpart.

Well site means one or more surface sites that are constructed for the drilling and subsequent operation of any oil well, natural gas well, or injection well. For the purposes of the fugitive emissions standards at § 60.5397c , a well site does not include:

(1) UIC Class II oilfield disposal wells and disposal facilities;

(2) UIC Class I oilfield disposal wells; and

(3) The flange immediately upstream of the custody meter assembly and equipment, including fugitive emissions components, located downstream of this flange.

Wellhead means the piping, casing, tubing and connected valves protruding above the earth's surface for an oil and/or natural gas well. The wellhead ends where the flow line connects to a wellhead valve. The wellhead does not include other equipment at the well site except for any conveyance through which gas is vented to the atmosphere.

Wellhead only well site means, for the purposes of the fugitive emissions standards at § 60.5397c and the standards in § 60.5398c , a well site that contains one or more wellheads and no major production and processing equipment.

Wildcat well means a well outside known fields or the first well drilled in an oil or gas field where no other oil and gas production exists.

Yard piping means hard-piping at a well site, centralized production facility, or compressor station that is not part of a closed vent system.

40 C.F.R. §60.5430c

89 FR 17043 , Mar. 8, 2024, as amended at 89 FR 62948 , Aug. 1, 2024

89 FR 17140 , 5/7/2024; as amended at 89 FR 62948 , 8/1/2024