NESHAP Subpart HHH: Natural Gas Transmission and Storage Facilities

(a) This subpart applies to owners and operators of natural gas transmission and storage facilities that transport or store natural gas prior to entering the pipeline to a local distribution company or to a final end user (if there is no local distribution company), and that are major sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) emissions as defined in § 63.1271. Emissions for major source determination purposes can be estimated using the maximum natural gas throughput calculated in either paragraph (a)(1) or (2) of this section and paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) of this section. As an alternative to calculating the maximum natural gas throughput, the owner or operator of a new or existing source may use the facility design maximum natural gas throughput to estimate the maximum potential emissions. Other means to determine the facility's major source status are allowed, provided the information is documented and recorded to the Administrator's satisfaction in accordance with § 63.10(b)(3). A compressor station that transports natural gas prior to the point of custody transfer or to a natural gas processing plant (if present) is not considered a part of the natural gas transmission and storage source category. A facility that is determined to be an area source, but subsequently increases its emissions or its potential to emit above the major source levels (without obtaining and complying with other limitations that keep its potential to emit HAP below major source levels), and becomes a major source, must comply with all applicable provisions of this subpart starting on the applicable compliance date specified in paragraph (d) of this section. Nothing in this paragraph is intended to preclude a source from limiting its potential to emit through other appropriate mechanisms that may be available through the permitting authority.

(1) Facilities that store natural gas or facilities that transport and store natural gas shall calculate maximum annual facility natural gas throughput using the following equation:

Where:

(i)-(iii) [Reserved]

(2) Facilities that only transport natural gas shall calculate the maximum natural gas throughput as the highest annual natural gas throughput over the 5 years prior to June 17, 1999, multiplied by a factor of 1.2.

(3) The owner or operator shall maintain records of the annual facility natural gas throughput each year and upon request, submit such records to the Administrator. If the facility annual natural gas throughput increases above the maximum natural gas throughput calculated in paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section, the maximum natural gas throughput must be recalculated using the higher throughput multiplied by a factor of 1.2.

(4) The owner or operator shall determine the maximum values for other parameters used to calculate potential emissions as the maximum over the same period for which maximum throughput is determined as specified in paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section. These parameters shall be based on an annual average or the highest single measured value. For estimating maximum potential emissions from glycol dehydration units, the glycol circulation rate used in the calculation shall be the unit's maximum rate under its physical and operational design consistent with the definition of potential to emit in § 63.2.

(b) The affected source is each new and existing glycol dehydration unit specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (3) of this section.

Show the rest of § 63.1270 (12 more paragraphs)Hide the rest of § 63.1270

(1) Each large glycol dehydration unit;

(2) Each small glycol dehydration unit for which construction commenced on or before August 23, 2011, is an existing small glycol dehydration unit.

(3) Each small glycol dehydration unit for which construction commenced after August 23, 2011, is a new small glycol dehydration unit.

(c) The owner or operator of a facility that does not contain an affected source, as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, is not subject to the requirements of this subpart.

(d) The owner or operator of each affected source shall achieve compliance with the provisions of this subpart by the following dates:

(1) Except as specified in paragraphs (d)(3) through (4) of this section, the owner or operator of an affected source, the construction or reconstruction of which commenced before February 6, 1998, shall achieve compliance with this provisions of the subpart no later than June 17, 2002 except as provided for in § 63.6(i). The owner or operator of an area source, the construction or reconstruction of which commenced before February 6, 1998, that increases its emissions of (or its potential to emit) HAP such that the source becomes a major source that is subject to this subpart shall comply with this subpart 3 years after becoming a major source.

(2) Except as specified in paragraphs (d)(3) through (4) of this section, the owner or operator of an affected source, the construction or reconstruction of which commences on or after February 6, 1998, shall achieve compliance with the provisions of this subpart immediately upon initial startup or June 17, 1999, whichever date is later. Area sources, the construction or reconstruction of which commences on or after February 6, 1998, that become major sources shall comply with the provisions of this standard immediately upon becoming a major source.

(3) Each affected small glycol dehydration unit, as defined in § 63.1271, located at a major source, that commenced construction before August 23, 2011, must achieve compliance no later than October 15, 2015, except as provided in § 63.6(i).

(4) Each affected small glycol dehydration unit, as defined in § 63.1271, located at a major source, that commenced construction on or after August 23, 2011, must achieve compliance immediately upon initial startup or October 15, 2012, whichever is later.

(e) An owner or operator of an affected source that is a major source or is located at a major source and is subject to the provisions of this subpart is also subject to 40 CFR part 70 or part 71 permitting requirements.

(f) Exemptions. A facility with a facilitywide actual annual average natural gas throughput less than 28.3 thousand standard cubic meters per day, where glycol dehydration units are the only HAP emission source, is not subject to the requirements of this subpart. Records shall be maintained as required in § 63.10(b)(3).

(g) Emissions standards in this subpart apply at all times.

[64 FR 32648, June 17, 1999, as amended at 66 FR 34555, June 29, 2001; 66 FR 49300, Sept. 27, 2001; 67 FR 8204, Feb. 22, 2002; 77 FR 49584, Aug. 16, 2012; 85 FR 73898, Nov. 19, 2020; 89 FR 84296, Oct. 22, 2024]