National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production Facilities and Natural Gas Transmission and Storage Facilities; Technology Review and Reconsideration

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing an action related to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) from Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production Facilities and from Natural Gas Transmission and Storage Facilities (Oil and Gas NESHAP) in connection with a technology review pursuant to Clean Air Act (CAA) section 112. Based on the EPA's review the Agency is not proposing any revision to the current standards in the NESHAP. With respect to unregulated pollutants, the EPA is proposing standards for methanol from regulated emission points at crude oil and natural gas production facilities that will result in no additional control requirements. The EPA is further proposing two alternative approaches to emission points not currently regulated in these NESHAP. Under the first approach, we are proposing that the Agency does not have an obligation to regulate previously unregulated emission points when conducting a CAA section 112(d)(6) review and to defer action on that basis. Under the second approach, we are proposing new control standards for previously unregulated emission points, which include: acid gas removal units, transport vessel loading operations, and storage vessels without flash emissions at crude oil and natural gas production facilities, as well as storage vessels, transport vessel loading and natural gas-driven process controllers and pumps at natural gas transmission and storage facilities. The EPA is also concurrently proposing changes to the definition of "associated equipment" with respect to a major source to align with the CAA that, if finalized, would reduce burdens on industry. Finally, the EPA is proposing minor technical corrections to the existing regulations.