HY-BON/EDI Blog: Quad O Compliance and Vent Gas Management
Oct 9, 2016
On September 29, 2016, the EPA published the Second Draft Information Collection Request (ICR) for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry. The ICR will collect emission inventory related data that will be used to develop emission standards (reductions) for existing facilities. Existing facilities that are exempt from NSPS OOOO and OOOOa are the target of this data request. The EPA is using its authority under Section 114 of the Clean Air Act to request the information. This is a one-time survey that seems to be on track for a data submittal to the EPA before the end of 2016. See link: ICR 2nd Draft for details. |
![]() |
Aug 24, 2016
(Updated November 13, 2019)
1. What is a VRU? A VRU, or Vapor Recovery Unit, is a compression system used to collect and compress low volume gas streams for injection into the suction of a larger compressor, a meter run, a local site fuel gas system or directly into a gas gathering line. Mechanical VRUs consist of a driver motor or engine that supplies the power to the compressor. They are often used by oil and gas operations to recover vent gas. |
![]() |
Aug 8, 2016
Existing federal and state air quality and permitting regulations require oil and gas (O&G) production facilities to control emissions from crude oil, condensate and produced water storage tanks. The primary federal EPA rules for storage tanks (and other O&G sources) are in NSPS OOOO and NSPS OOOOa. These NSPS rules affect facilities construction after August 23, 2011. State environmental regulatory agencies have their own standards and permitting regulations that require storage emission controls for existing and new facilities. These federal and state air permitting rules require the storage tank vapor controls systems to be designed and operated such that emissions are continuously controlled. Inadequately designed storage tank emission control systems that result in venting of VOCs are a focus of the EPA. |
![]() |
Jul 1, 2016
The EPA intends to collect emission inventory related data from the oil and gas industry to gather information that will be used to develop emission standards (reductions) for existing facilities. The New Source Performance Standards in 40 CFR 60 Subpart OOOO and OOOOa exempt existing oil and gas facilities that were constructed on or prior to August 23, 2011 (and not modified or reconstructed after that date). These “existing” facilities are the target of this data collection. The method that will be used to obtain the data is an Information Collection Request (ICR). The EPA is not required to go through rulemaking to request this information. EPA has authority under Section 114 of the Clean Air Act to request the information provided the request is approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). |
![]() |
Jun 24, 2016
Apr 22, 2016
Apr 22, 2016
Apr 7, 2016
Apr 5, 2016
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is proposing to modify its air quality regulations applicable primarily to operations in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Arctic waters. |
![]() |
Feb 29, 2016
(Updated December 18, 2019)
Heater treaters can be significant sources of “flash gas” from oil and gas production facilities. Flash gas is natural gas that is released from a well stream when the liquid undergoes a pressure drop or when the liquid’s temperature is increased. In a heater treater, the crude oil/condensate and produced water experience a pressure drop and a temperature increase. The greater the pressure drop and operating temperature, the greater the amount of flash gas generated per barrel of oil throughput. |
![]() |