Title 7 Natural Resources and Environmental Control
1124 Control of Volatile Organic Compound Emissions
32.0 Leaks from Natural Gas/Gasoline Processing Equipment
11/29/1994
32.1 Applicability
32.1.1 The provisions of 32.0 of this regulation apply to all equipment in volatile organic compound (VOC) service in any process unit at any onshore natural gas/gasoline processing facility.
32.1.2 The provisions of 32.0 of this regulation do not apply to:
32.1.2.1 Any equipment in vacuum service.
32.1.2.2 Any equipment in heavy liquid service.
32.1.2.3 Wet gas reciprocating compressors in plants that do not have a VOC control device, such as a flare or a continuously burning process heater or boiler.
32.1.3 The equipment inspection requirements in 32.4 of this regulation do not apply to:
32.1.3.1 Any natural gas/gasoline processing facility with a design field gas capacity of less than 2.8x105 standard cubic meters (10x106 standard cubic feet) per day that does not fractionate natural gas liquids.
32.1.3.2 Any pump with dual pump seals.
32.1.3.3 Any pressure relief valve that is connected to an operating flare header or vapor recovery device.
32.1.3.4 Any compressor with a degassing vent that is routed to an operating VOC control device.
32.1.4 Any facility that becomes or is currently subject to the provisions of 32.0 of this regulation by exceeding the applicability threshold in 32.1.3.1 of this regulation will remain subject to these provisions, even if its throughput or emissions later fall below the applicability threshold. Any facility that is currently subject to a state or federal rule promulgated pursuant to the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 by exceeding an applicability threshold is and will remain subject to those provisions, even if its throughput or emissions have fallen or later fall below the applicability threshold.
32.2 Definitions. As used in 32.0 of this regulation, all terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given them in the November 15, 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA), or in 2.0 of this regulation.
“Equipment” means each pump, compressor, pressure relief device, sampling connection system, open-ended valve or line, valve, and flange or other connector in VOC service or in wet gas service and any devices or systems required by 32.0 of this regulation.
“Field gas” means feedstock gas entering the natural gas processing plant.
“[In] gas/vapor service” means that the piece of equipment in VOC service contains process fluid that is in the gaseous state at operating conditions.
“[In] heavy liquid service” means that the piece of equipment in VOC service is not in gas/vapor service or not in light liquid service.
“[In] light liquid service” means that the piece of equipment in VOC service either (1) contains a liquid that meets all of the conditions in definition A or (2) meets the condition specified in definition B:
Definition A--(1) the vapor pressure of one or more of the components is greater than 0.3 kiloPascal (kPa) (0.044 inch of mercury [in. Hg]) at 20°C (68°F). Standard reference tests or ASTM D-2879 shall be used to determine the vapor pressures; (2) the total concentration of the pure components having a vapor pressure greater than 0.3 kPa (0.044 in. Hg) at 20°C (68°F) is equal to or greater than 20% by weight; and (3) the fluid is a liquid at operating conditions.
Definition B--Equipment is "in light liquid service" if the weight percent evaporated is greater than 10% at 150°C as determined by ASTM D86.
“Liquids dripping” means any visible leakage from a seal including spraying, misting, clouding, and ice formation.
“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.
“Nonfractionating plant” means any gas plant that does not fractionate mixed natural gas liquids into natural gas products.
“Onshore” means all facilities except those that are located in the territorial seas or on the outer continental shelf.
“Process unit” means equipment 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 processing natural gas products. A process unit can operate independently if supplied with sufficient feed or raw materials and sufficient storage facilities for the products.
“Reciprocating compressor” means a piece of equipment that increases the pressure of a process gas by positive displacement, employing linear movement of the driveshaft.
“[In] vacuum service” means that the equipment in VOC service is operating at an internal pressure that is at least 5 five kPa (0.73 in. Hg) below ambient pressure.
“[In] VOC service” means that the piece of equipment contains or contacts a process fluid that is at least 1% VOC by weight. The provisions of 32.9.2 of this regulation specify how to determine that a piece of equipment is not in VOC service.
“[In] wet gas service” means that a piece of equipment contains or contacts the field gas before the extraction step in the process.
32.3 Standards: General. The owner or operator of a natural gas/gasoline processing facility subject to 32.0 of this regulation shall ensure that:
32.3.1 Any open-ended line or valve is sealed with a second valve, blind flange, cap, or plug except during operations requiring process fluid flow through the open-ended line or valve.
32.3.2 When a second valve is used, each open-ended line or valve equipped with a second valve is operated in such a manner that the valve on the process fluid end is closed before the second valve is closed.
32.3.3 When a double block-and-bleed system is used, the bleed valve or line is open only during operations that require venting of the line between the block valves and is closed at all other times.
32.4 Standards: Equipment inspection program. The owner or operator of a natural gas/gasoline processing facility subject to 32.0 of this regulation shall conduct the equipment inspection program described in 32.4.1 through 32.4.3 of this regulation using the test methods specified in Appendix F of this regulation.
32.4.1 The owner or operator of a natural gas/gasoline processing facility subject to 32.0 of this regulation shall conduct quarterly monitoring of each:
32.4.1.1 Compressor.
32.4.1.2 Pump in light liquid service.
32.4.1.3 Valve in light liquid service, except as provided in 32.5 and 32.6 of this regulation.
32.4.1.4 Valve in gas/vapor service, except as provided in 32.5 and 32.6 of this regulation.
32.4.1.5 Pressure relief valve in gas/vapor service, except as provided in 32.5 and 32.6 of this regulation.
32.4.2 The owner or operator of a natural gas/gasoline processing facility subject to 32.0 of this regulation shall conduct a weekly visual inspection of each pump in light liquid service.
32.4.3 The owner or operator of a natural gas/gasoline processing facility subject to 32.0 of this regulation shall monitor each pressure relief valve within five days after each overpressure relief to ensure that the valve has properly reseated and is not leaking.
32.4.4
32.4.4.1 Any pressure relief device that is located in a nonfractionating plant that is monitored only by nonplant personnel may be monitored after a pressure release the next time the monitoring personnel are on site, instead of within five days.
32.4.4.2 No pressure relief device described in 32.4.4.1 of this regulation shall be allowed to operate for more than 30 days after a pressure release without monitoring.
32.4.5
32.4.5.1 When an instrument reading of 10,000 parts per million (ppm) or greater is measured, it shall be determined that a leak has been detected.
32.4.5.2 If there are indications of liquid dripping from the equipment, it shall be determined that a leak has been detected.
32.4.6 When a leak is detected, the owner or operator shall affix a weatherproof, readily visible tag in a bright color such as red or yellow bearing the equipment identification number and the date on which the leak was detected. This tag shall remain in place until the leaking equipment is repaired. The requirements of 32.0 of this regulation apply to any leak detected by the equipment inspection program and to any leak from any equipment that is detected on the basis of sight, sound, or smell.
32.5 Standards: Alternative standards for valves Skip period leak detection and repair.
32.5.1 An owner or operator shall comply initially with the requirements for valves in gas/vapor service and valves in light liquid service, as described in 32.4 of this regulation.
32.5.2 After two consecutive quarterly leak detection periods with the percent of valves leaking equal or less than 2.0, an owner or operator may skip one of the quarterly leak detection periods for the valves in gas/vapor and light liquid service.
32.5.3 After five consecutive quarterly leak detection periods with the percent of valves leaking equal to or less than 2.0, an owner or operator may begin to skip three of the quarterly leak detection periods for the valves in gas/vapor and light liquid service.
32.5.4 If the percent of valves leaking is greater than 2.0, the owner or operator shall comply with the requirements as described in 32.4 of this regulation but can again elect to use the requirements in 32.5 of this regulation.
32.5.5 The percent of valves leaking shall be determined by dividing the sum of valves found leaking during current monitoring and valves for which repair has been delayed by the total number of valves subject to the requirements of 32.0 of this regulation.
32.5.6 An owner or operator shall keep a record of the percent of valves found leaking during each leak detection period.
32.6 Standards: Alternative standards for valves that are unsafe or difficult to monitor.
32.6.1 Any valve that is designated, as described in 32.10.5.1 of this regulation, as an unsafe-to-monitor valve is exempt from the requirements of 32.4 of this regulation if:
32.6.1.1 The owner or operator of the valve demonstrates that the valve is unsafe to monitor because monitoring personnel would be exposed to an immediate danger as a consequence of complying with 32.4 of this regulation.
32.6.1.2 The owner or operator of the valve adheres to a written plan that requires monitoring the valve as frequently as practicable during safe-to-monitor times.
32.6.2 Any valve that is designated, as described in 32.10.5.1 of this regulation, as a difficult-to-monitor valve is exempt from the requirements of 32.4 of this regulation if:
32.6.2.1 The owner or operator of the valve demonstrates that the valve cannot be monitored without elevating the monitoring personnel more than two meters (m) (6.6 feet [ft]) above a support surface.
32.6.2.2 The owner or operator of the valve follows a written plan that requires monitoring of the valve at least once per calendar year.
32.7 Standards: Equipment repair program. The owner or operator of a natural gas/gasoline processing facility shall:
32.7.1 Make a first attempt at repair for any leak not later than five calendar days after the leak is detected.
32.7.2 Repair any leak as soon as practicable, but not later than 15 calendar days after it is detected except as provided in 32.8 of this regulation.
32.8 Standards: Delay of repair
32.8.1 Delay of repair of equipment for which a leak has been detected is allowed if the repair is technically infeasible without a process unit shutdown. Such equipment shall be repaired before the end of the next process unit shutdown.
32.8.2 Delay of repair of equipment is allowed for equipment that is isolated from the process and that does not remain in VOC service.
32.8.3 Delay of repair beyond a process unit shutdown is allowed for a valve if valve assembly replacement is necessary during the process unit shutdown, valve assembly supplies have been depleted, and valve assembly supplies had been sufficiently stocked before the supplies were depleted. Delay of repair beyond the next process unit shutdown is not allowed unless the next process unit shutdown occurs sooner than 6 months after the first process unit shutdown.
32.9 Test methods and procedures
32.9.1 In conducting the tests required to comply with 32.4 of this regulation, the owner or operator shall use the test methods specified in Appendix F of this regulation.
32.9.2 The owner or operator shall test each piece of equipment unless it is demonstrated that a process unit is not in VOC service, i.e., that the VOC content would never be reasonably expected to exceed 1% by weight. For purposes of this demonstration, the following methods and procedures shall be used:
32.9.2.1 Procedures that conform to the general methods in ASTM E260, E168, and E169 shall be used to determine the percent VOC content in the process fluid that is contained in or contacts a piece of equipment.
32.9.2.2 Where the test methods in 32.9.2.1 of this regulation also measure exempt compounds, these compounds may be excluded from the total quantity of organic compounds in determining the VOC content of the process fluid.
32.9.2.3 Engineering judgment may be used to estimate the VOC content, if a piece of equipment had not been shown previously to be in VOC service. If the Department disagrees with the judgment, 32.9.2.1 and 32.9.2.2 of this regulation shall be used to resolve the disagreement.
32.9.3 The owner or operator shall demonstrate that a piece of equipment is in light liquid service by showing that all of the following conditions apply:
32.9.3.1 The vapor pressure of one or more of the components is greater than 0.3 kPa at 20°C (0.09 in. Hg at 68°F). Standard reference texts or ASTM D2879 shall be used to determine the vapor pressures.
32.9.3.2 The total concentration of the pure components having a vapor pressure greater than 0.3 kPa at 20°C (0.09 in. Hg at 68°F) is equal to or greater than 20% by weight.
32.9.3.3 The fluid is a liquid at operating conditions.
32.9.4 Samples used in conjunction with 32.9.2 and 32.9.3 of this regulation shall be representative of the process fluid that is contained in or contacts the equipment.
32.10 Recordkeeping
32.10.1 Each owner or operator subject to the provisions of 32.0 of this regulation shall comply with the recordkeeping requirements of 32.0 of this regulation.
32.10.2 An owner or operator of more than one facility subject to the provisions of 32.0 of this regulation may comply with the recordkeeping requirements for these facilities in one recordkeeping system if the system identifies each record by each facility.
32.10.3 When each leak is detected as specified in 32.4 of this regulation, the following information shall be recorded in a log and shall be kept for five years in a readily accessible location:
32.10.3.1 The instrument and operator identification numbers and the equipment identification number.
32.10.3.2 The date the leak was detected and the dates of each attempt to repair the leak.
32.10.3.3 The repair methods employed in each attempt to repair the leak.
32.10.3.4 The notation "Above 10,000" if the maximum instrument reading measured by the methods specified in Appendix F of this regulation after each repair attempt is equal to or greater than 10,000 ppm.
32.10.3.5 The notation "Repair delayed" and the reason for the delay if a leak is not repaired within 15 calendar days after discovery of the leak.
32.10.3.6 The signature of the owner or operator (or designate) whose decision it was that repair could not be effected without a process shutdown.
32.10.3.7 The expected date of successful repair of the leak if a leak is not repaired within 15 calendar days.
32.10.3.8 The dates of process unit shutdowns that occur while the equipment is unrepaired.
32.10.3.9 The date of successful repair of the leak.
32.10.4 A list of identification numbers of equipment in vacuum service shall be recorded in a log that is kept in a readily accessible location.
32.10.5 The following information pertaining to all valves subject to the requirements of 32.6 of this regulation shall be recorded in a log that is kept for five years in a readily accessible location:
32.10.5.1 A list of identification numbers for valves that are designated as unsafe to monitor, an explanation for each valve stating why the valve is unsafe to monitor, and the plan for monitoring each valve.
32.10.5.2 A list of identification numbers for valves that are designated as difficult to monitor, an explanation for each valve stating why the valve is difficult to monitor, and the schedule for monitoring each valve.
32.10.6 The following information pertaining to all valves complying with 32.5 of this regulation shall be recorded in a log that is kept for five years in a readily accessible location:
32.10.6.1 A schedule of monitoring.
32.10.6.2 The percent of valves found leaking during each monitoring period.
32.10.7 The following information shall be recorded in a log that is kept for five years in a readily accessible location for use in determining exemptions as provided in 32.1 of this regulation:
32.10.7.1 An analysis demonstrating the design capacity of the affected facility.
32.10.7.2 Information and data used to demonstrate that a piece of equipment is not in VOC service.
32.10.7.3 Information and data used to demonstrate that a reciprocating compressor is in wet gas service.
32.11 Reporting. The owner or operator of any facility containing sources subject to 32.0 of this regulation shall comply with the requirements in 5.0 of this regulation.
