La. Admin. Code tit. 33 § III-2104

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 8, August 20, 2024

Section III-2104 - Crude Oil and Condensate

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.

B. Definitions

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.

La. Admin. Code tit. 33, § III-2104

Promulgated by the Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Air Quality and Radiation Protection, Air Quality Division, LR 23:1497 (November 1997), amended by the Office of Environmental Assessment, Environmental Planning Division, LR 28:1764 (August 2002), LR 30:745 (April 2004).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:2054.