NOTICES
Proposed General Plan Approval and/or General Operating Permit for Natural Gas Production and/or Processing Facilities (BAQ-GPA/GP-5)
[42 Pa.B. 1187]
[Saturday, March 3, 2012]The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) proposes to issue a revised General Plan Approval and/or Operating Permit (BAQ-GPA/GP-5 or General Permit) for Natural Gas Production and/or Processing Facilities that establishes emission limitations and other applicable Federal and State requirements including Best Available Technology requirements.
The revised General Permit, BAQ-GPA/GP-5, which is authorized under section 6.1(f) of the Air Pollution Control Act (35 P. S. § 4006.1(f)) and 25 Pa. Code Chapter 127, Subchapter H (relating to general plan approvals and operating permits), will apply to the construction, operation and modification of air contamination sources at new and existing natural gas production and/or processing facilities. The applicability and scope of the revised General Permit BAQ-GPA/GP-5 has been expanded to cover air contamination sources including, but not limited to the following: wellheads and valve assemblies, natural gas-fired spark ignition internal combustion engines, natural gas-fired simple cycle turbines, centrifugal compressors, condensate tanks, distillation towers, glycol dehydrators, reboilers, natural gas fractionation units, vapor recovery systems, storage vessels, flares, valves, piping, flanges and transport loading arms.
On August 23, 2011, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed, for public review and comment, rules concerning the ''Oil and Natural Gas Sector: New Source Performance Standards and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Reviews'' (76 FR 52738). The proposed revised General Permit includes proposed provisions of the Federal rules, which will automatically be adopted and incorporated by reference in the Pennsylvania Code once finalized by the EPA. It is anticipated that the Federal rules applicable to the oil and natural gas sector will be finalized in April 2012. This General Permit will not be issued prior to the publication of EPA's final rules.
The proposed substantive revisions to the GP-5 include conditions that prescribe applicability, emission limitations, compliance, notification, monitoring, recordkeeping, reporting and administrative requirements. This General Permit does not authorize the construction, modification or operation of sources subject to the Prevention of Significant Deterioration and nonattainment new source review requirements specified in 25 Pa. Code Chapter 127, Subchapters D and E (relating to prevention of significant deterioration of air quality; and new source review). In addition, this General Permit does not cover spark ignition internal combustion engines or simple cycle turbines that are used as ''peak shaving engine generators.''
Section A of the General Permit includes general conditions including definitions, applicability/scope, municipal notifications, application for use procedures, compliance requirements, fees, expiration and reauthorization of the use of the GP-5, and transfer of ownership. The emission fees established in Condition 10 of this section are summarized as follows:
(1) General Plan Approval application fee: $1,700
(2) General Operating Permit fee: $375
(3) Annual operating permit administration fee: $375
Section B of the General Permit establishes requirements for spark ignition internal combustion engines. The emission limits applicable to spark ignition internal combustion engines operating under an existing GP-5 authorization must reduce emissions to levels equal to or less than:
(1) Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) (as NO2) at rated brake horsepower (bhp) and operating at rated speed—2 grams per bhp-hour (gm/bhp-hr).
(2) Non Methane Hydrocarbon (NMHC) (as propane) at rated bhp and operating at rated speed—2 gm/bhp-hr.
(3) Carbon Monoxide (CO) at rated bhp and operating at rated speed—2 gm/bhp-hr.
The engines must also meet Federal requirements including the Standards of Performance for Stationary Spark Ignition Internal Combustion Engines specified in 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart JJJJ and/or the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines codified in 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart ZZZZ, as applicable.
The General Permit establishes the best available technology requirements set forth as follows for new or reconstructed stationary spark ignition engines which began construction after the effective date of this General Permit. Owners and operators must comply with applicable requirements established in 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart JJJJ and the NESHAP requirements in 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart ZZZZ.
(1) New or reconstructed natural gas-fired lean-burn engines rated at equal to or less than 100 bhp shall not exceed NOx emissions (expressed as NO2) of 2.0 gm/bhp-hr and CO emissions of 2.0 gm/bhp-hr.
(2) New or reconstructed natural gas-fired lean-burn engines rated at greater than 100 bhp and equal to or less than 637 bhp shall not exceed NOx emissions (expressed as NO2) of 1.0 gm/bhp-hr, CO emissions of 47 ppmvd corrected at 15% oxygen, and Non-Methane Non-Ethane Hydrocarbons (NMNEHC) emissions of (as Propane) 0.35 gm/bhp-hr.
(3) New or reconstructed natural gas-fired lean-burn engines rated at greater than 637 bhp shall not exceed NOx emissions (expressed as NO2) of 0.5 gm/bhp-hr, CO emissions of 0.12 gm/bhp-hr, NMNEHC emissions of (as Propane) 0.12 gm/bhp-hr, SO2 emissions of 0.01 gm/bhp-hr, total particulate matter emissions of 0.03 gm/bhp-hr, and Formaldehyde (HCHO) emissions of 0.04 gm/bhp-hr.
(4) New or reconstructed natural gas-fired rich-burn engines shall not exceed NOx emissions (expressed as NO2) of 0.2 gm/bhp-hr, CO emissions of 0.25 gm/bhp-hr, NMNEHC (as Propane) emissions of 0.06 gm/bhp-hr, SO2 emissions of 0.01 gm/bhp-hr, total particulate emissions of 0.03 gm/bhp-hr, and HCHO emissions of 2.7 ppmvd cor- rected at 15% oxygen.
Visible emissions shall not exceed either of the following limitations:
(1) Equal to or greater than 10% for a period or periods aggregating more than 3 minutes in any 1 hour.
(2) Equal to or greater than 30% at any time.
The General Permit requires compliance with certain work practice and monitoring requirements including the following for engines equipped with an oxidation catalyst:
(1) The pressure drop across the catalyst may not change by more than 2 inches of water at 100% load plus or minus 10% from the pressure drop across the catalyst that was measured during the initial performance test.
(2) The inlet catalyst temperature and pressure drop reading across the catalyst every 15 minutes must be recorded when the engine is operating.
(3) The catalyst inlet temperature must be equal to 450°F and less than or equal to 1350°F, or as specified by the manufacturer and the GP-5 Application.
The notification, recordkeeping and reporting requirements specified in 40 CFR 60.4245 and 63.6645 must be met. The records must be retained for at least 5 years and made available to the Department upon request.
Section C of the General Permit establishes standards and requirements for simple cycle gas turbines.
(1) New or reconstructed natural gas-fired simple cycle turbines with a rated capacity equal to or greater than 1000 bhp or 10.7 gigajoules per hour that began construction, modification or reconstruction after February 18, 2005, must comply with requirements specified in 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart KKKK.
(2) New or reconstructed simple cycle turbines shall comply with the following emissions standards:
(i) NOx emissions shall not exceed 15 parts per million, by volume, dry basis (ppmvd), corrected to 15% oxygen.
(ii) CO emissions shall not exceed 5 parts per million, by volume, dry basis (ppmvd), corrected to 15% oxygen.
(iii) NMHC emissions shall not exceed 10 parts per million (as Methane), by volume, dry basis (ppmvd), corrected to 15% oxygen.
(iv) Formaldehyde emissions shall not exceed 0.0001 pounds per million British thermal unit of heat input.
(v) The sulfur content of the natural gas shall be no greater than 1.5 grains per 100 standard cubic feet of fuel.
(vi) Total particulate matter emissions shall not exceed 0.03 pounds per million British thermal unit of heat input.
Work practice and monitoring requirements for simple cycle gas turbines equipped with an oxidation catalyst include the following:
(1) The pressure drop across the catalyst may not change by more than 2 inches of water at 100% load plus or minus 10% from the pressure drop across the catalyst that was measured during the initial performance test.
If the pressure drop across the oxidation catalyst changes by more than 2 inches from the manufacturer's specified parameters, the owner or operator shall take corrective action.
(2) The catalyst inlet temperature must be no greater than or equal to 450°F and less than or equal to 1350°F, or as specified by the manufacturer that is identified in the GP-5 Application.
(3) The inlet catalyst temperature and pressure differential reading across the catalyst should be recorded every 15 minutes when the turbine is operating.
Applicable notification, reporting and recordkeeping requirements for simple cycle gas turbines include 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart KKKK. Accurate records should be maintained for a period of at least 5 years. The records must include the number of hours per month that each simple cycle turbine operated using a nonresettable hour meter, amount of each fuel type that is used per month, in each simple cycle turbine, date the GP-5 was issued, date construction began, date of initial startup, date that testing is required, parameters required to be tested, date that the testing was performed and the date that the turbine core was replaced for each simple cycle turbine.
Section D of GP-5 proposes requirements for centrifugal compressors consistent with the proposed Federal requirements, 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart OOOO (76 FR 52738).
Section E of GP-5 requires the owners and operators of storage vessels to comply with Federal requirements including 40 CFR Part 60, Subparts K, Ka and Kb; the proposed 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart OOOO applicable to storage vessels would also apply to these sources. In addition, the vessels must also be operated in compliance with 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart HH.
Section F of the GP-5 establishes standards and requirements for glycol dehydrators consistent with 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart HH. Glycol dehydration units located at an onshore natural gas processing plant would comply with the requirements of 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart KKK.
Section G of GP-5 establishes standards and requirements for glycol dehydrator unit reboilers with a rated capacity equal to or greater than 10 MMBTU/HR Heat Input. Particulate matter emissions shall not exceed 0.4 pound per MMBTU. NOx emissions for natural gas fired boilers shall not exceed 20 ppmdv for boilers less than 50 mmBtu/hr and 9 ppmdv for boilers greater than 50 mmBtu/hr. NOx and CO emissions for Oil 2, biodiesel, biofuels or synthetic liquid fuel shall not exceed 90 ppmdv and 200 ppmdv, respectively.
Section H of GP-5 establishes standards and requirements for on shore natural gas processing plants consistent with 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart KKK—Standards of Performance for Equipment Leaks of VOCs from Onshore Natural Gas Processing Plants.
Section I of GP-5 establishes standards and requirements for wellheads consistent with EPA's proposed 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart OOOO.
Section J of GP-5 establishes standards and requirements for equipment leaks which include initiating afacility leak detection and repair program and recordkeeping requirements for fugitive leak detection and associated repairs.
Section K of GP-5 establishes standards and requirements for pneumatic controllers consistent with EPA's proposed 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart OOOO.
Section L of GP-5 establishes standards and requirements for sweetening units consistent with EPA 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart KKK and proposed 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart OOOO.
Opportunity to Comment
A copy of the draft revised General Permit will be made available on the Department's web site at www.dep.state.pa.us (DEP Keyword: Public Participation; select Proposals Open for Comment). A copy of the draft revised General Permit may also be obtained by contacting Jeanette Van Skike, Division of Permits, Bureau of Air Quality, 12th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468, (717) 787-4325. TDD users may telephone the Department through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service, (800) 654-5984.
The Department requests written comments on the proposed revisions to this General Permit by May 2, 2012. Comments received by facsimile will not be accepted. Notice and opportunity for comment will also be provided to the EPA and Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. Interested persons may submit written comments, suggestions or objections to Naishadh Bhatt, Environmental Group Manager, Division of Permits, Bureau of Air Quality, 12th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468, (717) 787-4325 or nabhatt@ pa.gov.
Upon issuance of the modified GP-5, the Department will publish a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of the issuance of the modified General Permit.
MICHAEL L. KRANCER,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 12-365. Filed for public inspection March 2, 2012, 9:00 a.m.]
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