SECTION 115.174. Pneumatic Controller and Pump Control Requirements

(a) The following control requirements apply to any pneumatic pump or pneumatic controller at a natural gas processing plant.

(1) The pneumatic pump drive must not emit volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions to the atmosphere.

(2) Each single continuous-bleed pneumatic controller must have a natural gas bleed rate equal to 0.0 standard cubic feet per hour (scfh).

(b) The following control requirements apply to any pneumatic pump or pneumatic controller subject to this division at a location other than at a natural gas processing plant.

(1) VOC emissions from each pneumatic pump must be reduced by 95%.

(2) Each pneumatic controller must have a natural gas bleed rate of less than or equal to 6.0 scfh.

(c) A control device used to comply with this section must meet one of the following conditions at all times when VOC vapors are routed to the control device or to a process. Multiple vents may be routed to the same control device or process. The VOC vapors must be routed through a closed vent system, which must be designed and operated to route all captured VOC vapors to a process or a control device under normal operations. Control devices and closed vent systems must be in compliance with §115.178 of this title (relating to Monitoring and Inspection Requirements) and §115.179 of this title (relating to Approved Test Methods and Testing Requirements).

(1) A control device, other than a device specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, may be used and must maintain a minimum control efficiency of at least 95% or a VOC concentration of equal to or less than 275 parts per million by volume (ppmv), as propane, on a wet basis corrected to 3% oxygen. The 95% VOC control efficiency and 275 ppmv VOC concentration are calculated from the gas stream at the control device outlet. For a boiler or process heater used as the control device, the vent gas stream must be introduced into the flame zone of the boiler or process heater.

(2) A flare may be used and must be designed and operated in accordance with 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §60.18(b) - (f) (as amended through December 22, 2008 (73 FR 78209)). The flare must be lit at all times when VOC vapors are routed to the flare.

(3) VOC emissions may be routed to a process if the emissions are compatible with the process and would be retained within the process. Routing to a process is considered equivalent to a 95% control efficiency.

(4) A control device used to comply with paragraph (1) of this subsection must operate with no visible emissions, as determined through a visible emissions test conducted according to United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 22, 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A-7, Section 11 (as amended March 16, 2015 (83 FR 13751)), except for periods not to exceed a total of one minute during any 15-minute observation period.

(d) The following requirements apply to a bypass installed on a closed vent system able to divert any portion of the flow from entering a control device or routing to a process.

(1) A flow indicator must be installed, calibrated, and maintained at the inlet of each bypass. The flow indicator must take a reading at least once every 15 minutes and initiate an alarm notifying operators to take prompt remedial action when bypass flows are present.

(2) Each bypass valve must be secured in the non-diverting position using a car-seal or a lock-and-key type configuration.

(e) The following exceptions apply, as specified, to the pneumatic controller or pneumatic pump control requirements in subsections (a) or (b) of this section.

(1) By the appropriate compliance date in §115.183 of this title (relating to Compliance Schedules), the VOC emissions from a pneumatic pump at a well site for which a control device does not exist and for which routing to a process is technically infeasible, as demonstrated in paragraph (3) of this subsection, are not required to be controlled in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. The owner or operator shall maintain records documenting that there is no control device available and whereupon this exclusion no longer applies, the owner or operator shall be in compliance with the control requirements of subsection (b) of this section and shall keep records documenting the change in compliance with the initial report as required in §115.180 of this title (relating to Recordkeeping Requirements).

(2) By the appropriate compliance date in §115.183 of this title, a control device located at the same site as a pneumatic pump, and with which controlling the VOC emissions from the pneumatic pump is technically feasible, that achieves a control efficiency less than 95% must be used if a control device achieving a 95% control efficiency is not available. If more than one control device with less than 95% control efficiency is available, the control device with the highest control efficiency must be used. The same monitoring, testing, and recordkeeping requirements apply to such a control device that apply to control devices in subsection (c) of this section.

(3) For a pneumatic pump located at a well site for which the control requirements in this section are technically infeasible, the owner or operator shall make a demonstration of technical infeasibility in accordance with §115.176(b) of this title (relating to Alternative Control Requirements). Upon the date the demonstration of technical infeasibility is no longer true, whereupon this exclusion no longer applies, the owner or operator shall comply with the control requirements of this section and shall keep records documenting the change in compliance with the initial report as required in §115.180 of this title.

(4) For a pneumatic controller for which there is a functional need for a bleed rate greater than the limits in subsection (a) of this section, the owner or operator shall make and maintain record of a determination of functional need in accordance with §115.176(c) of this title. Upon the date the determination of functional need is no longer true, the owner or operator shall comply with the control requirements of this section and shall keep records documenting the change in compliance with the initial report as required in §115.180 of this title.

(f) Pneumatic pumps and controllers subject to this division must be operated and maintained in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations.

Source Note: The provisions of this §115.174 adopted to be effective July 21, 2021, 46 TexReg 4313