Md. Code Regs. 26.11.41.03 - Leak Detection and Repair Requirements
A. Affected facilities that are natural gas
compressor stations or natural gas underground storage facilities and that use
natural gas-powered equipment to compress natural gas shall comply with the
following leak detection and repair requirements.
(1) Owners and operators of affected
facilities subject to this section shall develop and submit to the Department
an initial methane emissions monitoring plan that includes a technique for
determining fugitive emissions (for example, EPA Method 21 at 40 CFR part 60,
appendix A-7, or optical gas imaging).
(2) If an affected facility uses optical gas
imaging for leak detection, the following information shall be included in the
initial methane emissions monitoring plan:
(a)
A list of the unsafe-to-monitor components;
(b) Procedures and time frames for
identifying and repairing fugitive emissions components;
(c) A defined observation path throughout the
site to confirm all components can be viewed and recorded;
(d) Manufacturer and model number of fugitive
emissions detection equipment to be used; and
(e) Equipment specifications and procedures
as specified in 40 CFR §
60.5397a(c)(7), as published
in July 2017.
(3) If an
affected facility uses EPA Method 21 ( 40 CFR 60, Appendix A-7) for leak
detection, the following information shall be included in the initial methane
emissions monitoring plan:
(a) A list of all
fugitive emission components, difficult-to-monitor components, and
unsafe-to-monitor components at an affected facility;
(b) Procedures and time frames for
identifying and repairing fugitive emission components; and
(c) Equipment specifications and procedures
as specified in 40 CFR §
60.5397a(c)(8), as published
in July 2017.
(4) Each
difficult-to-monitor and unsafe-to-monitor component shall be identified in the
written initial methane monitoring plan explaining the location and why the
fugitive emissions components are difficult-to-monitor and
unsafe-to-monitor.
(5) Initial
Methane Emissions Monitoring Plan Submission.
(a) Except for a new natural gas compressor
station or natural gas underground storage facility, owners and operators of
the affected facilities subject to this section shall submit the initial
methane emissions monitoring plan required in §A(1)-(4) of this regulation to
the Department within 90 days of the adoption of this regulation.
(b) Owners and operators of a new natural gas
compressor station or natural gas underground storage facility subject to this
section shall submit the initial methane emissions monitoring plan required in
§A(1)-(4) of this regulation to the Department within 60 days of
startup.
(6) Owners and
operators of affected facilities that modify or reconstruct a natural gas
compressor station or underground storage facility shall submit an initial
monitoring plan with the elements in §A(1)-(4) of this regulation within 90
days of the facility startup operation for each new collection of fugitive
emissions components at the modified or reconstructed compressor station or
underground storage facility.
(7)
Owners or operators of affected facilities subject to this section shall
conduct an audio, visual, and olfactory inspection of all fugitive emission
components for leaks or indications of leaks at least once per calendar week
except for:
(a) Unsafe-to-monitor components;
and
(b) Natural gas storage wells
and observations, which shall conduct audio, visual, and olfactory inspections
according to §A(10) of this regulation.
(8) Leak Monitoring Survey.
(a) Owners and operators of affected
facilities shall follow the initial monitoring methane plan and shall inspect
all fugitive emission components, except for unsafe-to-monitor components, for
leaks using OGI or EPA Method 21 within 180 days of the adoption of this
chapter and quarterly thereafter.
(b) Owners and operators of affected
facilities that install any new, modified, or reconstructed natural gas
compressor station or underground storage facility that uses natural
gas-powered equipment to compress natural gas shall meet the requirements of
§A(8)(a) of this regulation within 180 days of the startup of the facility's
operations.
(c) At least annually,
all difficult-to-monitor fugitive emissions components shall be inspected for
leaks using an OGI camera.
(9) Repair Requirements.
(a) Any leaking fugitive emissions component
identified during a leak monitoring survey or audio, visual, and olfactory
inspection shall be successfully repaired, replaced, or removed from service as
soon as practicable, but no later than 30 calendar days after leak
detection.
(b) Fugitive Emissions
Component Resurvey.
(i) Each repaired or
replaced fugitive emissions component shall be resurveyed within 30 days after
being repaired or replaced using either OGI or EPA Method 21 ( 40 CFR 60,
Appendix A-7).
(ii) Owners and
operators of facilities subject to this section that use EPA Method 21 ( 40 CFR
60, Appendix A-7) to resurvey the repaired or replaced fugitive emissions
component shall consider the fugitive emissions component repaired when the EPA
Method 21 ( 40 CFR 60, Appendix A-7) instrument indicates a concentration of
less than 500 ppm of methane or when no soap bubbles are observed during a
bubble test.
(iii) Owners and
operators of affected facilities subject to this section that use OGI to
resurvey the repaired or replaced fugitive emissions component shall consider
the fugitive emissions component repaired when the OGI instrument shows no
indication of visible emissions or when no soap bubbles are observed during a
bubble test.
(c) A delay
of repair may occur when, upon request, the owner or operator provides
documentation to the Department that supports the following:
(i) The parts or equipment required to make
necessary repairs will take longer than 30 days to be ordered and delivered,
but the repair may not exceed 1 year;
(ii) The repair is unsafe to perform during
the operation of the unit; or
(iii)
The repair requires a blowdown or facility shutdown in order to
complete.
(d) Leaking
fugitive emission components awaiting repair or replacement under a delay of
repair shall be clearly marked or identified in the facility's
records.
(e) Leaking fugitive
emission components under a delay of repair according to §A(9)(c)(i) of this
regulation shall:
(i) Be repaired or replaced
within 7 days after the owner or operator receives parts or equipment;
or
(ii) Be repaired or replaced at
the next vent or compressor station blowdown if the owner or operator has
identified this fugitive emission component as needing a vent or compressor
station blowdown.
(f)
Fugitive emission components under a delay of repair according to §A(9)(c)(ii)
and (iii) of this regulation shall be repaired or replaced within 1 year, at
the next vent blowdown or facility shutdown, whichever occurs first.
(g) If a repair of a leak cannot be
successfully completed according to this subsection, the owner or operator of
the affected facility shall prepare a plan, for Department approval, that
includes:
(i) An explanation of the technical
difficulty;
(ii) A timeline to
successfully repair the fugitive emission components;
(iii) A calculation of the additional methane
that is expected to be released while on delay of repair; and
(iv) Upon written request from the
Department, any other information that the Department determines is necessary
to evaluate the plan.
(h) The owner or operator of the affected
facility shall submit any plan required under §A(9)(g) of this regulation to
the Department within 30 days from identifying the leak.
(10) Natural Gas Storage Field Inspections.
(a) Owners and operators of natural gas
underground storage facilities shall conduct an audio, visual, and olfactory
inspection of every natural gas storage well and observation well in the
natural gas storage field at least once each month.
(b) For each inspection according to
§A(10)(a) of this regulation, owners and operators shall record:
(i) The well-head pressure or water level
measurement, as appropriate;
(ii)
The open flow on the annulus of the production casing or the annulus pressure
if the annulus is shut in;
(iii) A
measurement of gas escaping the well if there is evidence of a gas leak;
and
(iv) Evidence of progressive
corrosion, rusting, or other signs of equipment deterioration.
(c) For each natural gas storage
well with emissions that exceed 1,440 cubic feet per day, owners and operators
shall:
(i) Notify the Department within 1
business day of discovering the emission rate exceedance; and
(ii) File a written report within 10 days
which shall include an explanation of the problem and corrective action taken
or planned.
(d) For each
audio, visual, and olfactory inspection that detects a leaking fugitive
emission component, the owner and operator shall comply with the repair
requirements specified in §A(9) of this regulation, as applicable.
B. Affected facilities
that are natural gas compressor stations and natural gas underground storage
facilities, that exclusively use electric-powered equipment to compress natural
gas, shall comply with the following leak detection and repair requirements.
(1) Owners and operators of facilities in
this section shall meet the requirements of §A(1)-(6), (9), and (10) of this
regulation.
(2) Except for
unsafe-to-monitor components, owners or operators of facilities in this section
shall conduct an audio, visual, and olfactory inspection of all fugitive
emission components for leaks or indications of leaks at least once per
calendar month.
(3) Leak Monitoring
Survey.
(a) Except for unsafe-to-monitor
components, owners and operators of affected facilities subject to this section
shall inspect all fugitive emission components, including difficult-to-monitor
components, for leaks using OGI or EPA Method 21 ( 40 CFR 60, Appendix A-7)
within 180 days of the adoption of this chapter and annually
thereafter.
(b) Owners and
operators of affected facilities that install any new, modified, or
reconstructed natural gas compressor station or underground storage facility
that uses electric-powered equipment to compress natural gas shall meet the
requirements of §B(3)(a) of this regulation within 180 days of the startup of
the facility's operations.
C. Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas facility
shall comply with:
(1) The leak detection and
repair requirements as specified by the Climate Action Plan, which is defined,
prepared, and approved under COMAR 26.09.02.06.B - E; and
(2) The leak detection and repair plan
defined and approved under the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity,
issued by the Maryland Public Service Commission on May 30, 2014, Order No.
86372, Case No. 9318, as amended on February 6, 2018, with Order No. 88565, and
Errata on February 23, 2018, Order No. 88565, as amended.
D. Any new liquefied natural gas facility
that begins operations or repairs after the effective date of this chapter
shall comply with §A of this regulation.
E. If an owner requests approval, the
Department may approve a new technology or alternative practice to identify
leaking fugitive emissions components as an equivalent substitution for the
requirements in §A or B of this regulation.
Notes
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