Regulations Respecting Reduction in the Release of Methane and Certain Volatile Organic Compounds (Upstream Oil and Gas Sector) — 6
6 The Regulations are amended by adding the following after section 8: Detection of Fugitive Emissions and Repair Program Comprehensive inspection 8.1 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) and section 8.14, a comprehensive inspection for fugitive emissions at an upstream oil and gas facility must be conducted (a) in the case of a Type 1 facility, once in each quarter of the calendar year, at least 60 days after the date of the most recent comprehensive inspection; and (b) in the case of a Type 2 facility, once per calendar year, at least 270 days after the date of the most recent comprehensive inspection. Excluded facilities (2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of (a) an inactive facility; and (b) an upstream oil and gas facility that begins operations before January 1, 2028, at which crude oil is produced and at which during the previous calendar year (i) the volume of crude oil produced did not exceed 600 m 3 , and (ii) the combined volume of hydrocarbon gas produced and received did not exceed 12 000 m 3 . Exception — low temperature (3) A comprehensive inspection is not required to be conducted at a Type 1 facility in a quarter of the calendar year if, on the day before the scheduled day of the inspection in that quarter, the temperature at the facility’s location is forecast to be below -20°C on that scheduled day. Methodology (4) A comprehensive inspection must be conducted using an optical gas-imaging instrument that meets the requirements of subsection (5) or any other instrument that meets the requirements of subsection (6). Optical gas-imaging instrument (5) If a comprehensive inspection is conducted using an optical gas-imaging instrument, the instrument must (a) be capable of imaging gas that is (i) in the spectral range for the compound of highest concentration in the hydrocarbon gas to be measured, and (ii) composed of half methane and half propane at a total concentration of 500 ppmv or at a flow rate of 60 g/h when it is leaking from an orifice that is 0.635 cm in diameter; and (b) be operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations or, if they are not available, industry standards and best practices. Other instrument (6) If a comprehensive inspection is conducted using an instrument other than an optical gas-imaging instrument, the instrument must (a) be capable of measuring 500 ppmv of hydrocarbon; (b) have a scale that is readable to ±12.5 ppmv of hydrocarbon; and (c) be operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations or, if they are not available, industry standards and best practices. Screening inspection 8.11 (1) Subject to subsection (2) and section 8.14, a screening inspection for fugitive emissions at an upstream oil and gas facility must be conducted once in each month in which the operator or a representative of the operator visits the facility. Exceptions (2) A screening inspection is not required to be conducted in any of the following months: (a) a month in which a comprehensive inspection is conducted at the facility; (b) a month in which, on the day before the scheduled day of the screening inspection, the temperature at the facility’s location is forecast to be below -20°C on that scheduled day. Methodology (3) A screening inspection must be conducted using a monitoring instrument that, when operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, is capable of detecting a fugitive emission with a flow rate of 10 kg/h or more. Annual inspection 8.12 (1) Subject to subsection (3) and section 8.14, an annual inspection for fugitive emissions at an upstream oil and gas facility must be conducted by an auditor who (a) is independent of the operator and owner of the facility that is to be inspected; and (b) has knowledge of and experience with emission detection instruments. Interval (2) The annual inspection must be conducted in each calendar year at least 180 days after the date of the most recent annual inspection and at l