Standards for equipment leaks.

§ 63.1363 Standards for equipment leaks.

(a) General equipment leak requirements. (1) The provisions of this section apply to “equipment” as defined in § 63.1361. The provisions of this section also apply to any closed-vent systems and control devices required by this section.

(2) Consistency with other regulations. After the compliance date for a process, equipment subject to both this section and either of the following will be required to comply only with the provisions of this subpart:

(i) 40 CFR part 60.

(ii) 40 CFR part 61.

(3) [Reserved]

(4) The provisions in § 63.1(a)(3) of subpart A of this part do not alter the provisions in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

(5) Lines and equipment not containing process fluids are not subject to the provisions of this section. Utilities, and other nonprocess lines, such as heating and cooling systems which do not combine their materials with those in the processes they serve, are not considered to be part of a process.

(6) The provisions of this section do not apply to bench-scale processes, regardless of whether the processes are located at the same plant site as a process subject to the provisions of this subpart MMM.

(7) Each piece of equipment to which this section applies shall be identified such that it can be distinguished readily from equipment that is not subject to this section. Identification of the equipment does not require physical tagging of the equipment. For example, the equipment may be identified on a plant site plan, in log entries, or by designation of process boundaries by some form of weatherproof identification. If changes are made to the affected source subject to the leak detection requirements, equipment identification for each type of component shall be updated, if needed, within 15 calendar days of the end of each monitoring period for that component.

(8) Equipment that is in vacuum service is excluded from the requirements of this section.

(9) Equipment that is in organic HAP service, but is in such service less than 300 hours per calendar year, is excluded from the requirements of this section if it is identified as required in paragraph (g)(9) of this section.

(10) When each leak is detected by visual, audible, or olfactory means, or by monitoring as described in § 63.180(b) or (c) of subpart H of this part, the following requirements apply:

(i) A weatherproof and readily visible identification, marked with the equipment identification number, shall be attached to the leaking equipment.

(ii) The identification on a valve in light liquid or gas/vapor service may be removed after it has been monitored as specified in paragraph (e)(7)(iii) of this section, and no leak has been detected during the follow-up monitoring. If an owner or operator elects to comply with § 63.174(c)(1)(i), the identification on a connector may be removed after it has been monitored as specified in § 63.174(c)(1)(i) and no leak is detected during that monitoring.

(iii) The identification on equipment, except as specified in paragraph (a)(10)(ii) of this section, may be removed after it has been repaired.

(b) References. The owner or operator shall comply with the provisions of subpart H of this part as specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (3) of this section and with paragraph (b)(4) of this section for pressure relief devices. When the term “process unit” is used in subpart H of this part, it shall mean any group of processes for the purposes of this subpart. Groups of processes as used in this subpart may be any individual process or combination of processes.

(1) Sections 63.160, 63.161, 63.162, 63.163, 63.167, 63.168, 63.170, 63.173, 63.175, 63.176, 63.181, and 63.182 of subpart H of this part shall not apply for the purposes of this subpart MMM. The owner or operator shall comply with the provisions specified in paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (viii) of this section.

(i) Sections 63.160 and 63.162 of subpart H of this part shall not apply, instead the owner or operator shall comply with paragraph (a) of this section;

(ii) Section 63.161 of subpart H of this part shall not apply, instead the owner or operator shall comply with § 63.1361;

(iii) Sections 63.163 and 63.173 of subpart H of this part shall not apply, instead the owner or operator shall comply with paragraph (c) of this section;

(iv) Section 63.167 of subpart H of this part shall not apply, instead the owner or operator shall comply with paragraph (d) of this section;

(v) Section 63.168 of subpart H of this part shall not apply, instead the owner or operator shall comply with paragraph (e) of this section;

(vi) Section 63.170 of subpart H of this part shall not apply, instead the owner or operator shall comply with § 63.1362(b);

(vii) Section 63.181 of subpart H of this part shall not apply, instead the owner or operator shall comply with paragraph (g) of this section; and

(viii) Section 63.182 of subpart H of this part shall not apply, instead the owner or operator shall comply with paragraph (h) of this section.

(2) The owner or operator shall comply with §§ 63.164, 63.166, 63.169, 63.177, and 63.179 of subpart H of this part in their entirety, except that when these sections reference other sections of subpart H of this part, the owner or operator shall comply with the revised sections as specified in paragraphs (b)(1), (3), and (4) of this section. Section 63.164 of subpart H of this part applies to compressors. Section 63.166 of subpart H of this part applies to sampling connection systems. Section 63.169 of subpart H of this part applies to: pumps, valves, connectors, and agitators in heavy liquid service; instrumentation systems; and pressure relief devices in liquid service. Section 63.177 of subpart H of this subpart applies to general alternative means of emission limitation. Section 63.179 of subpart H of this part applies to alternative means of emission limitation for enclosed-vented process units.

(3) The owner or operator shall comply with §§ 63.171, 63.172, 63.174, 63.178, and 63.180 of subpart H of this part with the differences specified in paragraphs (b)(3)(i) through (v) of this section.

(i) Section 63.171, Delay of repair, shall apply except § 63.171(a) shall not apply. Delay of repair of equipment for which leaks have been detected is allowed if one of the following conditions exist:

(A) The repair is technically infeasible without a process shutdown. Repair of this equipment shall occur by the end of the next scheduled process shutdown.

(B) The owner or operator determines that repair personnel would be exposed to an immediate danger if attempting to repair without a process shutdown. Repair of this equipment shall occur by the end of the next scheduled process shutdown.

(ii) Section 63.172, Closed-vent systems and control devices, shall apply for closed-vent systems used to comply with this section, and for control devices used to comply with this section only, except:

(A) Section 63.172(k) and (l) shall not apply. The owner or operator shall instead comply with paragraph (f) of this section.

(B) Owners or operators may, instead of complying with the provisions of § 63.172(f), design a closed-vent system to operate at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. The system shall be equipped with at least one pressure gauge or other pressure measurement device that can be read from a readily accessible location to verify that negative pressure is being maintained in the closed-vent system when the associated control device is operating.

(iii) Section 63.174, Connectors, shall apply except:

(A) Section 63.174(b), (f), (g), and (h) shall not apply. In place of § 63.174(b), the owner or operator shall comply with paragraphs (b)(3)(iii)(C) through (G) of this section. In place of § 63.174(f), (g), and (h), the owner or operator shall comply with paragraph (f) of this section.

(B) Days that the connectors are not in organic HAP service shall not be considered part of the 3-month period in § 63.174(c).

(C) If the percent leaking connectors in a group of processes was greater than or equal to 0.5 percent during the initial monitoring period, monitoring shall be performed once per year until the percent leaking connectors is less than 0.5 percent.

(D) If the percent leaking connectors in the group of processes was less than 0.5 percent, but equal to or greater than 0.25 percent, during the last required monitoring period, monitoring shall be performed once every 4 years. An owner or operator may comply with the requirements of this paragraph by monitoring at least 40 percent of the connectors in the first 2 years and the remainder of the connectors within the next 2 years. The percent leaking connectors will be calculated for the total of all monitoring performed during the 4-year period.

(E) The owner or operator shall increase the monitoring frequency to once every 2 years for the next monitoring period if leaking connectors comprise at least 0.5 percent but less than 1.0 percent of the connectors monitored within either the 4 years specified in paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(D) of this section, the first 4 years specified in paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(G) of this section, or the entire 8 years specified in paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(G) of this section. At the end of that 2-year monitoring period, the owner or operator shall monitor once per year while the percent leaking connectors is greater than or equal to 0.5 percent; if the percent leaking connectors is less than 0.5 percent, the owner or operator may again elect to monitor in accordance with paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(D) or (G) of this section, as applicable.

(F) If an owner or operator complying with the requirements of paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(D) or (G) of this section for a group of processes determines that 1 percent or greater of the connectors are leaking, the owner or operator shall increase the monitoring frequency to one time per year. The owner or operator may again elect to use the provisions of paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(D) or (G) of this section after a monitoring period in which less than 0.5 percent of the connectors are determined to be leaking.

(G) Monitoring shall be required once every 8 years, if the percent leaking connectors in the group of process units was less than 0.25 percent during the last required monitoring period. An owner or operator shall monitor at least 50 percent of the connectors in the first 4 years and the remainder of the connectors within the next 4 years. If the percent leaking connectors in the first 4 years is equal to or greater than 0.35 percent, the monitoring program shall revert at that time to the appropriate monitoring frequency specified in paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(D), (E), or (F) of this section.

(iv) Section 63.178, shall apply, except as specified in paragraphs (b)(3)(iv)(A) and (B) of this section.

(A) Section 63.178(b), requirements for pressure testing, shall apply to all processes, not just batch processes.

(B) For pumps, the phrase “at the frequencies specified in Table 1 of this subpart” in § 63.178(c)(3)(iii) shall mean “quarterly” for the purposes of this subpart.

(v) Section 63.180 of subpart H of this part, Test methods and procedures, shall apply except § 63.180(b)(4)(ii)(A) through (C) of subpart H of this part shall not apply. Calibration gases shall be a mixture of methane and air at a concentration of approximately, but less than, 10,000 parts per million methane for agitators, 2,000 parts per million for pumps, and 500 parts per million for all other equipment, except as provided in § 63.180(b)(4)(iii) of subpart H of this part.

(4) Requirements for pressure relief devices. Except as specified in paragraph (b)(4)(iv) of this section, the owner or operator must comply with the operating and pressure release requirements specified in paragraphs (b)(4)(i) and (ii) of this section for pressure relief devices in organic HAP gas or vapor service. Except as specified in paragraph (b)(4)(iv) of this section, the owner or operator must also comply with the pressure release management requirements specified in paragraph (b)(4)(iii) of this section for all pressure relief devices in organic HAP service.

(i) Operating requirements. Except during a pressure release event, operate each pressure relief device in organic HAP gas or vapor service with an instrument reading of less than 500 ppm above background as detected by Method 21 of 40 CFR part 60, appendix A.

(ii) Pressure release requirements. For pressure relief devices in organic HAP gas or vapor service, comply with paragraphs (b)(4)(ii)(A) or (B) of this section, as applicable.

(A) If the pressure relief device does not consist of or include a rupture disk, conduct instrument monitoring, as detected by Method 21 of 40 CFR part 60, appendix A, no later than 5 calendar days after the pressure release to verify that the pressure relief device is operating with an instrument reading of less than 500 ppm above background, except as provided in § 63.171.

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