HY-BON/EDI Blog: Quad O Compliance and Vent Gas Management
Mar 20, 2015
| Need reasons to reduce methane emissions now? We are all focused on something. Focus on chasing down ways to further reduce methane emissions now. Consider these reasons to reduce methane emissions: Methane (a major component of natural gas) is product and capturing it and sending it to sales increases profits. Since methane is now a regulated greenhouse gas air pollutant, expect that one day state agencies or the federal government will assess fees on methane emissions based on an… |
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Mar 11, 2015
| In an email dated March 10, 2015, the TCEQ discussed its enforcement discretion regarding NSPS OOOO storage tanks. This was in response to the December 31, 2014, NSPS OOOO rule change that revised the definition of storage vessels (tanks). The new NSPS OOOO rule includes in the definition of a storage the following: “Two or more storage vessels connected in parallel are considered equivalent to a single storage vessel with throughput equal to the total throughput of the storage vessels connec… |
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Mar 3, 2015
| Beliefs are very strong and control our world. Some beliefs should be questioned with time to help ensure we are on the right track. Beliefs about vent gas from oil and gas production facilities is one area to question beliefs. Storage tanks storing crude oil, condensate and produced water can result in the following "non-beneficial" effects: Loss of hydrocarbon product Increase in air emissions Decreased profitability Additional environmental risks Less favorable public image Ve… |
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Feb 20, 2015
| People often ask, how do I convert a volume (e.g., standard cubic feet) of natural gas to pounds (mass) and pounds of natural gas to volume? This is important in communications and reports involving vent gas, VOC emissions and vapor recovery units. Below are some equations and examples to use for the conversion with a more detailed explanation later in this blog topic. Conversion of natural gas volume to weight (mass) requires the volume of gas in standard cubic feet and the molecular weight … |
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Feb 6, 2015
| Vent Gas Management for Quad O Compliance With the implementation of the EPA NSPS OOOO (Quad O) rules requiring oil and gas (O&G) facilities to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and methane emissions from storage tanks, it is critical to take a systematic approach to Vent Gas Management (VGM). Staying in compliance can be challenging with the alphabet soup of regulations. Some components of a VGM system for compliance on an ongoing basis for are listed below. Elements of an Op… |
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Jan 21, 2015
| New NSPS OOOO Storage Tank Definition and Future Regulation of Methane Emissions from O&G Facilities On December 31, 2014, the USEPA published in the Federal Register the latest changes to 40 CFR 60 Subpart OOOO (Quad O). These changes are referred to as NSPS OOOO 1.5 since EPA is also working on more substantial changes referred to as NSPS OOOO 2.0. The next changes are expected to be proposed in 2015 and finalized in 2016. In addition to this news, on January 14, 2015, the White House … |
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Jan 16, 2015
| Have you ever wondered where you can access the greenhouse gas emissions data that the oil and gas industry reports to the EPA? The EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) has been gathering and compiling greenhouse gas (GHG) data from all sectors of the US for several years. This is data required by the GHG reporting rule in 40 CFR Part 98. The data reported includes GHG emissions from different parts of oil and gas operations for calendar years 2010 through 2013. Reported GHG data fo… |
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Jan 10, 2015
| Process Description In mature gas wells fluids (water and hydrocarbons) can accumulate in the well such that well bottom hole pressure is no longer high enough to lift the weight of the fluids in the well. This reduces or stops gas production. Methods used to restore gas flow include removing accumulated fluids using a sucker rod pump and remedial actions, such as soaping, swabbing and routine periodic venting the well to the atmosphere known as “blowing down the well.“ This is often referred t… |
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Jan 2, 2015
| Flaring and venting of natural gas from oil and gas operations in Texas are regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The RRC regulations strive to maximize production and minimize waste. The TCEQ regulations focus on limiting air pollution. Regulations from these two agencies include permitting and emergency reporting requirements. For both agencies, the preferred method to reduce waste, maximize production and eliminate air … |
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Dec 26, 2014
| On December 31, 2014, the EPA published in the Federal Register updates and clarifications to 40 CFR 60 Subpart OOOO (aka Quad O). The notification includes a summary fact sheet for the Quad O revisions at: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/oilandgas/pdfs/20141219fs.pdf. These changes are expected to be followed by other proposed modifications to Quad O in 2015. March 23, 2015 Proposed Changes to NSPS OOOO - Updated March 31, 2015 In a Federal Register Notice dated March 23, 2015, the EPA propo… |
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