NSPS Subpart OOOO (Quad O): Crude Oil and Natural Gas Facilities for Which Construction, Modification, or Reconstruction Commenced After August 23, 2011, and on or Before September 18, 2015

This subpart establishes emission standards and compliance schedules for the control of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from affected facilities that commence construction, modification, or reconstruction after August 23, 2011, and on or before September 18, 2015.

[89 FR 17035, Mar. 8, 2024]

You are subject to the applicable provisions of this subpart if you are the owner or operator of one or more of the onshore affected facilities listed in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section for which you commence construction, modification, or reconstruction after August 23, 2011, and on or before September 18, 2015. An affected facility must continue to comply with the requirements of this subpart until it begins complying with a more stringent requirement, that applies to the same affected facility, in an approved, and effective, state or Federal plan that implements subpart OOOOc of this part, or modifies or reconstructs after December 6, 2022, and thus becomes subject to subpart OOOOb of this part.

(a) Each gas well affected facility, which is a single natural gas well.

(b) Each centrifugal compressor affected facility, which is a single centrifugal compressor using wet seals that is located between the wellhead and the point of custody transfer to the natural gas transmission and storage segment. A centrifugal compressor located at a well site, or an adjacent well site and servicing more than one well site, is not an affected facility under this subpart.

(c) Each reciprocating compressor affected facility, which is a single reciprocating compressor located between the wellhead and the point of custody transfer to the natural gas transmission and storage segment. A reciprocating compressor located at a well site, or an adjacent well site and servicing more than one well site, is not an affected facility under this subpart.

(d)(1) For the oil production segment (between the wellhead and the point of custody transfer to an oil pipeline), each pneumatic controller affected facility, which is a single continuous bleed natural gas-driven pneumatic controller operating at a natural gas bleed rate greater than 6 standard cubic feet per hour.

(2) For the natural gas production segment (between the wellhead and the point of custody transfer to the natural gas transmission and storage segment and not including natural gas processing plants), each pneumatic controller affected facility, which is a single continuous bleed natural gas-driven pneumatic controller operating at a natural gas bleed rate greater than 6 standard cubic feet per hour.

(3) For natural gas processing plants, each pneumatic controller affected facility, which is a single continuous bleed natural gas-driven pneumatic controller.

(e) Each storage vessel affected facility, which is a single storage vessel located in the oil and natural gas production segment, natural gas processing segment or natural gas transmission and storage segment, and has the potential for VOC emissions equal to or greater than 6 tons per year (tpy) as determined according to this section by October 15, 2013, for Group 1 storage vessels and by April 15, 2014, or 30 days after startup (whichever is later) for Group 2 storage vessels, except as provided in paragraphs (e)(1) through (4) of this section. The potential for VOC emissions must be calculated using a generally accepted model or calculation methodology, based on the maximum average daily throughput determined for a 30-day period of production prior to the applicable emission determination deadline specified in this section. The determination may take into account requirements under a legally and practically enforceable limit in an operating permit or other requirement established under a Federal, State, local or Tribal authority.

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(1) For each new, modified or reconstructed storage vessel receiving liquids pursuant to the standards for gas well affected facilities in § 60.5375, including wells subject to § 60.5375(f), you must determine the potential for VOC emissions within 30 days after startup of production.

(2) A storage vessel affected facility that subsequently has its potential for VOC emissions decrease to less than 6 tpy shall remain an affected facility under this subpart.

(3) For storage vessels not subject to a legally and practically enforceable limit in an operating permit or other requirement established under Federal, state, local or tribal authority, any vapor from the storage vessel that is recovered and routed to a process through a VRU designed and operated as specified in this section is not required to be included in the determination of VOC potential to emit for purposes of determining affected facility status, provided you comply with the requirements in paragraphs (e)(3)(i) through (iv) of this section.

(i) You meet the cover requirements specified in § 60.5411(b).

(ii) You meet the closed vent system requirements specified in § 60.5411(c).

(iii) You maintain records that document compliance with paragraphs (e)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section.

(iv) In the event of removal of apparatus that recovers and routes vapor to a process, or operation that is inconsistent with the conditions specified in paragraphs (e)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section, you must determine the storage vessel's potential for VOC emissions according to this section within 30 days of such removal or operation.

(4) The following requirements apply immediately upon startup, startup of production, or return to service. A storage vessel affected facility that is reconnected to the original source of liquids is a storage vessel affected facility subject to the same requirements that applied before being removed from service. Any storage vessel that is used to replace any storage vessel affected facility is subject to the same requirements that apply to the storage vessel affected facility being replaced.

(5) A storage vessel with a capacity greater than 100,000 gallons used to recycle water that has been passed through two stage separation is not a storage vessel affected facility.

(f) The group of all equipment, except compressors, within a process unit is an affected facility.

(1) Addition or replacement of equipment for the purpose of process improvement that is accomplished without a capital expenditure shall not by itself be considered a modification under this subpart.

(2) Equipment associated with a compressor station, dehydration unit, sweetening unit, underground storage vessel, field gas gathering system, or liquefied natural gas unit is covered by §§ 60.5400, 60.5401, 60.5402, 60.5421, and 60.5422 of this subpart if it is located at an onshore natural gas processing plant. Equipment not located at the onshore natural gas processing plant site is exempt from the provisions of §§ 60.5400, 60.5401, 60.5402, 60.5421, and 60.5422 of this subpart.

(3) The equipment within a process unit of an affected facility located at onshore natural gas processing plants and described in paragraph (f) of this section are exempt from this subpart if they are subject to and controlled according to subparts VVa, GGG or GGGa of this part.

(g) Sweetening units located at onshore natural gas processing plants that process natural gas produced from either onshore or offshore wells.

(1) Each sweetening unit that processes natural gas is an affected facility; and

(2) Each sweetening unit that processes natural gas followed by a sulfur recovery unit is an affected facility.

(3) Facilities that have a design capacity less than 2 long tons per day (LT/D) of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the acid gas (expressed as sulfur) are required to comply with recordkeeping and reporting requirements specified in § 60.5423(c) but are not required to comply with §§ 60.5405 through 60.5407 and §§ 60.5410(g) and 60.5415(g) of this subpart.

(4) Sweetening facilities producing acid gas that is completely reinjected into oil-or-gas-bearing geologic strata or that is otherwise not released to the atmosphere are not subject to §§ 60.5405 through 60.5407, 60.5410(g), 60.5415(g), and 60.5423 of this subpart.

(h) The following provisions apply to gas well facilities that are hydraulically refractured.

(1) A gas well facility that conducts a well completion operation following hydraulic refracturing is not an affected facility, provided that the requirements of § 60.5375 are met. For purposes of this provision, the dates specified in § 60.5375(a) do not apply, and such facilities, as of October 15, 2012, must meet the requirements of § 60.5375(a)(1) through (4).

(2) A well completion operation following hydraulic refracturing at a gas well facility not conducted pursuant to § 60.5375 is a modification to the gas well affected facility.

(3) Refracturing of a gas well facility does not affect the modification status of other equipment, process units, storage vessels, compressors, or pneumatic controllers located at the well site.

(4) A gas well facility initially constructed after August 23, 2011, and on or before September 18, 2015 is considered an affected facility regardless of this provision.

[77 FR 49542, Aug. 16, 2012, as amended at 78 FR 58435, Sept. 23, 2013; 79 FR 79036, Dec. 31, 2014; 80 FR 48268, Aug. 12, 2015; 81 FR 35896, June 3, 2016; 85 FR 57069, Sept. 14, 2020; 89 FR 17035, Mar. 8, 2024]