Reduction in the Release of Volatile Organic Compounds Regulations (Petroleum Sector) (SOR/2020-231)

Marginal note:Retention period

10 The operator of a facility must retain the inventory of equipment components referred to in paragraph 3(2)(a) and the records referred to in section 9, as well as any supporting documents, at the facility for at least five years after the inventory is established or updated or the records are created.

Requirements for Certain Equipment Components

Marginal note:Responsibilities of operator

11 The operator of a facility must ensure that the equipment components at the facility meet the requirements set out in sections 12 to 15.

Marginal note:Pipes

• 12 (1) The ends of a pipe that is not located in an emergency shutdown system must be plugged at all times using a method that minimizes, to the extent possible, the release of VOCs into the environment, including the use of a cap, a blind flange or a plug or the use of two valves that are operated so that the valve on the process fluid end is closed before the other valve is closed.

• Marginal note:Non-application to certain pipes

  (2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of a pipe that comes into contact with a fluid that would autocatalytically polymerize or would create any other safety hazard, if the pipe were plugged in accordance with that subsection.

• Marginal note:Non-application during certain operations

  (3) Subsection (1) does not apply during an operation that requires the ends of a pipe to be open.

Marginal note:Sampling systems

13 Every sampling system that is connected to a pipe must be designed and used in a manner that minimizes, to the extent possible, the release of VOCs into the environment. The design may consist of a closed-purge, closed-loop or closed-vent system.

Marginal note:Pressure relief devices

• 14 (1) Every pressure relief device must be designed and used in a manner that minimizes, to the extent possible, the release of VOCs into the environment. The design may consist of the installation of a rupture disk upstream of the pressure relief device or the installation of a closed-vent connection between the pressure relief device and a process gas system, a fuel gas system or a control device.

• Marginal note:Requirement following pressure release

  (2) If a pressure release occurs, the pressure relief device must, not more than five days after the day on which the release ends, be returned to a condition that minimizes, to the extent possible, the release of VOCs into the environment.

Marginal note:Centrifugal compressors

• 15 (1) Every centrifugal compressor must be equipped with a mechanical seal system that has a barrier fluid system.

• Marginal note:Seal system

  (2) The mechanical seal system of the compressor must be

  • (a) operated with a barrier fluid system in which the barrier fluid is at all times at a pressure that is greater than the stuffing box pressure;

  • (b) equipped with a barrier fluid system degassing reservoir that is connected by a closed-vent system to a process gas system, a fuel gas system or a control device; or

  • (c) equipped with a system that purges the barrier fluid into a process gas system and prevents the release of any VOCs into the environment.

• Marginal note:Barrier fluid

  (3) The barrier fluid in the barrier fluid system must contain less than 10% VOCs by weight, as determined in accordance with ASTM International standard E260, Standard Practice for Packed Column Gas Chromatography, or E169, Standard Practices for General Techniques of Ultraviolet-Visible Quantitative Analysis, or in accordance with other generally accepted engineering practices.

• Marginal note:Sensor required

  (4) The barrier fluid system must be equipped with a sensor that is intended to detect any failure of the system.

• Marginal note:Sensor check

  (5) The sensor must be checked daily to determine whether there has been a failure of the barrier fluid system, unless the sensor is equipped with an audible alarm for the purpose of indicating such a failure or a mechanism that shuts down the compressor in the event of such a failure.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (6) The requirements of this section do not apply in respect of a centrifugal compressor that is equipped with a closed-vent system designed to capture any leakage from the compressor drive shaft and transport it to a process gas system, a fuel gas system or a control device.

Marginal note:Record keeping

• 16 (1) The operator must, for each calendar year, keep a record of the following information:

  • (a) in respect of an open-ended pipe that is not located in an emergency shutdown system, the identification number of the open-ended pipe and a description of the design considerations taken into account, and the control technologies and operating practices used, to ensure that the ends of the pipe are plugged in accordance with section 12;

  • (b) in respect of a sampling system that is connected to a pipe, the identification number of the sampling system and a description of the design considerations taken into account, and the control technologies and operating practices used, to ensure that the sampling system is designed and used in accordance with section 13;

  • (c) in respect of a pressure relief device, the identification number of the pressure relief device and a description of the design considerations taken into account, and the control technologies and operating practices used, to ensure that the device is designed and used in accordance with section 14;

  • (d) in respect of a pressure release referred to in subsection 14(2), if the pressure relief device did not minimize, to the extent possible, the release of VOCs into the environment during a period of more than one hour,

    • (i) the identification number of the pressure relief device,

    • (ii) the day on which the pressure release ended, and

    • (iii) the day on which the pressure relief device was returned to a condition that minimizes, to the extent possible, the release of VOCs into the environment;

  • (e) in respect of a centrifugal compressor, other than one referred to in subsection 15(6),

    • (i) the identification number of the compressor,

    • (ii) an indication that the mechanical seal system of the compressor meets the requirements referred to in paragraph 15(2)(a), (b) or (c), as applicable,

    • (iii) an indication that the barrier fluid referred to in subsection 15(3) contains less than 10% VOCs by weight,

    • (iv) an indication that the compressor is equipped with the sensor referred to in subsection 15(4), and

    • (v) an indication of whether or not the sensor is equipped with an audible alarm for the purpose of indicating a failure of the barrier fluid system or a mechanism that shuts down the compressor in the event of such a failure;

  • (f) in respect of each daily sensor check carried out under subsection 15(5),

    • (i) the identification number of the compressor that has the sensor that was checked,

    • (ii) the day on which the sensor check was carried out, and

    • (iii) the results of the sensor check; and

  • (g) in respect of a centrifugal compressor referred to in subsection 15(6), the identification number of the compressor and a description of its closed-vent system.

• Marginal note:Retention period

  (2) The operator must retain the record, as well as any supporting documents, at the facility for at least five years.

Fenceline Monitoring Requirements

Marginal note:Standard fenceline monitoring program

• 17 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the operator of a facility must, not later than January 1, 2022, establish and maintain for the facility a standard fenceline monitoring program, in accordance with sections 18 to 25 and 28, that consists of the collection of samples — using sampling tubes — and the analysis of those samples, in order to measure the concentrations at the fenceline of each substance set out in Schedule 2.

• Marginal note:Modified or alternative fenceline monitoring program

  (2) The operator of a facility may, instead of the standard fenceline monitoring program referred to in subsection (1), establish and maintain for the facility one of the following programs in order to measure the concentrations at the fenceline of each substance set out in Schedule 2:

  • (a) a modified fenceline monitoring program that consists of the collection of samples — using sampling tubes — and the analysis of those samples in accordance with a permit issued by the Minister under subsection 26(3) and in accordance with sections 19, 21 to 25 and 28; or

  • (b) an alternative fenceline monitoring program in accordance with a permit issued by the Minister under subsection 27(3).

• Marginal note:Time limit

  (3) A program referred to in paragraphs (2)(a) or (b) must be established not later than six months after the permit for the program is issued.

• Marginal note:Establishment after application for permit

  (4) If an application for a permit to establish a modified or alternative fenceline monitoring program for a facility is received by the Minister on or before January 1, 2021 or, in the case of a facility that begins operating on or after December 1, 2020, not later than 30 days after the day on which the facility begins operating, the operator of the facility is not required to establish a fenceline monitoring program until 6 months after the day on which the Minister issues the permit under subsection 26(3) or 27(3), as applicable, or a notification under subsection 26(4) or 27(4), as applicable, that no permit will be issued for the modified or alternative program.

• Marginal note:Establishment of standard fenceline monitoring program despite issuance of permit

  (5) Despite being issued a permit for a modified or alternative fenceline monitoring program in respect of a facility, the operator may establish and maintain a standard fenceline monitoring program for that facility in accordance with subsection (1) if they give 30 days notice in writing to the Minister of their intention to do so, together with a standard fenceline monitoring plan containing the information referred to in paragraphs 31(1)(a) to (d).

Marginal note:Selection of fenceline

18 The operator may select either the property boundary of the facility or an internal monitoring perimeter as the fenceline for the purpose of the fenceline monitoring program. If an internal monitoring perimeter is to serve as the fenceline, it must be established in accordance with sections 8.2 to 8.2.3.2 of EPA Method 325A, except that tailings ponds and mining areas are to be excluded from the emission sources encompassed by the fenceline.

Marginal note:Selection of sampling equipment and supplies

• 19 (1) The sampling equipment and supplies must be selected in accordance with sections 6.1 to 6.4 of EPA Method 325A.

• Marginal note:Sampling tubes

  (2) Sampling tubes must meet the specifications set out in section 3.8 of EPA Method 325A.

• Marginal note:Sorbent

  (3) The sorbent used in the sampling tubes must be selected in accordance with sections 7.1 to 7.1.6 of EPA Method 325B.

Marginal note:Sampling locations

20 The number of sampling tubes and their location at the fenceline must be established in accordance with sections 8.1 to 8.2.3.2 of EPA Method 325A.

Marginal note:Deployment of sampling tubes

• 21 (1) The sampling tubes must be deployed at the facility fenceline in accordance with the procedures set out in sections 8.5 to 8.5.10 and 9.3 to 9.3.2 of EPA Method 325A, with the following modifications:

  • (a) for the purpose of section 8.5.9 of that Method, the required sampling period is 13 to 15 days; and

  • (b) for the purpose of section 9.3.1 of that Method, at least two sampling tubes must be deployed at the fenceline for the purpose of collecting duplicate samples during each sampling period.

• Marginal note:Collection of sampling tubes

  (2) The sampling tubes deployed at the fenceline must be collected in accordance with the procedures set out in sections 8.6 to 8.6.5 of EPA Method 325A and must all be collected on the same day and, subject to subsection 24(3), every 13 to 15 days.

• Marginal note:Continuous sampling

  (3) When sampling tubes are collected at the fenceline in accordance with subsection (2) on any day, the subsequent deployment of sampling tubes must be carried out on the same day, so that the sampling is continuous.

Marginal note:Storage of sampling tubes

22 Sampling tubes must be stored in accordance with the procedures set out in sections 6.4 to 6.4.2 of EPA Method 325B.

Marginal note:Analysis of samples

23 The analysis of all samples collected under the fenceline monitoring program for the purpose referred to in subsection 17(1) must meet the following requirements:

• (a) the gas chromatography and mass spectrometry equipment must meet the requirements set out in sections 6.8 to 6.10 of EPA Method 325B;

• (b) the laboratory reagents and standard compounds used must meet the requirements set out in sections 7.2 to 7.6 of EPA Method 325B;

• (c) the samples must be analyzed within the period required by section 8.5.4 of EPA Method 325B;

• (d) all quality control procedures must be carried out in accordance with sections 9.0 to 9.5 and 9.12 to 9.17 of EPA Method 325B;

• (e) the method detection limit of the gas chromatograph for each substance set out in Schedule 2 must be determined in accordance with section 9.6 of EPA Method 325B;

• (f) if the concentration of a substance in a sample is below the method detection limit for that substance, the method detection limit must be used as the sampling result for that substance;

• (g) the analytical bias, the analytical precision and the field replicate precision must be determined in accordance with sections 9.7, 9.8 and 9.9, respectively, of EPA Method 325B;

• (h) the sample desorption efficiency and the compound recovery and audit must meet the requirements of sections 9.10 to 9.11 of EPA Method 325B; and

• (i) the calibration and standardization protocols for the gas chromatography and mass spectrometry equipment must be in accordance with those set out in sections 10.0 to 10.9.5.2 of EPA Method 325B.

Marginal note:Condition for less frequent analysis

• 24 (1) If the concentration of a substance set out in Schedule 2 remains below the method detection limit for that substance in 52 consecutive samples collected at each location at the fenceline in accordance with section 21, samples subsequently collected at each of those locations may be analyzed for that substance, in accordance with section 23, only twice per calendar year and, in that case, the interval between each collection of the samples to be analyzed for that substance in a calendar year must be at least five months, but not more than seven months.

• Marginal note:Return to original analysis frequency

  (2) Despite subsection (1), if the concentration of the substance in any sample analyzed at the frequency referred to in that subsection is above the method detection limit for that substance, every sample subsequently collected at each location must be analyzed for that substance in accordance with section 23.

• Marginal note:Condition for less frequent collection

  (3) If the concentration of each substance set out in Schedule 2 remains below the method detection limit for that substance in 52 consecutive samples collected at each location at the fenceline in accordance with section 21, samples may subsequently be collected at each of those locations only twice per calendar year and, in that case, samples must be collected at least five months, but not more than seven months, after the most recent collection of a sample.

• Marginal note:Return to original collection frequency

  (4) Despite subsection (3), if the concentration of a substance set out in Schedule 2 is above the method detection limit for that substance in any sample collected in accordance with that subsection, samples must subsequently be collected in accordance with subsection 21(2).

Marginal note:Meteorological data

• 25 (1) The meteorological data referred to in section 8.3.4 of EPA Method 325A must be collected at a meteorological station in accordance with that section. The meteorological station must be located at the facility, or within 40 kilometres of the fenceline, and must be operated in accordance with sections 8.3 to 8.3.3 of EPA Method 325A.

• Marginal note:Calibration of meteorological instruments

  (2) The calibration procedures set out in sections 2.5 to 2.5.2.6, 3.4 to 3.4.2, and 7.5 of the standard of the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States entitled Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems, Volume IV: Meteorological Measurements, Version 2.0 (Final) (EPA-454/B-08-002) must be followed for the meteorological instruments at the meteorological station.