View all text of Subpart OOOOa [§ 60.5360a - § 60.5433a–60.5439a]

§ 60.5400a - What equipment leak VOC standards apply to affected facilities at an onshore natural gas processing plant?

This section applies to the group of all equipment, except compressors, within a process unit located at an onshore natural gas processing plant.

(a) You must comply with the requirements of §§ 60.482–1a(a), (b), (d), and (e), 60.482–2a, and 60.482–4a through 60.482–11a, except as provided in § 60.5401a, as soon as practicable but no later than 180 days after the initial startup of the process unit.

(b) You may elect to comply with the requirements of §§ 60.483–1a and 60.483–2a, as an alternative.

(c) You may apply to the Administrator for permission to use an alternative means of emission limitation that achieves a reduction in emissions of VOC at least equivalent to that achieved by the controls required in this subpart according to the requirements of § 60.5402a.

(d) You must comply with the provisions of § 60.485a except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section.

(e) You must comply with the provisions of §§ 60.486a and 60.487a except as provided in §§ 60.5401a, 60.5421a, and 60.5422a.

(f) You must use the following provision instead of § 60.485a(d)(1): Each piece of equipment is presumed to be in VOC service or in wet gas service unless an owner or operator demonstrates that the piece of equipment is not in VOC service or in wet gas service. For a piece of equipment to be considered not in VOC service, it must be determined that the VOC content can be reasonably expected never to exceed 10.0 percent by weight. For a piece of equipment to be considered in wet gas service, it must be determined that it contains or contacts the field gas before the extraction step in the process. For purposes of determining the percent VOC content of the process fluid that is contained in or contacts a piece of equipment, procedures that conform to the methods described in ASTM E169–93, E168–92, or E260–96 (incorporated by reference as specified in § 60.17) must be used.

[81 FR 35898, June 3, 2016, as amended at 85 FR 57071, Sept. 14, 2020; 85 FR 57445, Sept. 15, 2020]