2/4/2016 eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi­bin/text­idx?SID=bfa40c424ebf92e5c8cd00251d1d9eb0&mc=true&node=20151201y1.63 1/4

ELECTRONIC CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS

e­CFR data is current as of February 2, 2016

Amendment

40 CFR­­PART 63.648

View Printed Federal Register page 80 FR 75244 in PDF format.

Amendment(s) published December 1, 2015, in 80 FR 75244

EFFECTIVE DATES: February 1, 2016

21. Section 63.648 is amended by:

a. Adding paragraph (a)(3);

b. Revising paragraph (c) introductory text; and

c. Adding paragraphs (c)(11) and (12) and (j).

The revisions and additions read as follows:

§63.648 Equipment leak standards.

(a) * * *

(3) If a flare is used as a control device, on and after January 30, 2019, the flare shall meet the requirements of

§63.670. Prior to January 30, 2019, the flare shall meet the applicable requirements of part 60, subpart VV of this chapter,

or the requirements of §63.670.

* * * * *

(c) In lieu of complying with the existing source provisions of paragraph (a) in this section, an owner or operator may

elect to comply with the requirements of §§63.161 through 63.169, 63.171, 63.172, 63.175, 63.176, 63.177, 63.179, and

63.180 of subpart H except as provided in paragraphs (c)(1) through (12) and (e) through (i) of this section.

* * * * *

(11) [Reserved]

(12) If a flare is used as a control device, on and after January 30, 2019, the flare shall meet the requirements of

§63.670. Prior to January 30, 2019, the flare shall meet the applicable requirements of §§63.172 and 63.180, or the

requirements of §63.670.

* * * * *

(j) Except as specified in paragraph (j)(4) of this section, the owner or operator must comply with the requirements

specified in paragraphs (j)(1) and (2) of this section for pressure relief devices, such as relief valves or rupture disks, in

organic HAP gas or vapor service instead of the pressure relief device requirements of §60.482­4 or §63.165, as

applicable. Except as specified in paragraphs (j)(4) and (5) of this section, the owner or operator must also comply with the

requirements specified in paragraph (j)(3) of this section for all pressure relief devices.

(1) Operating requirements. Except during a pressure release, operate each pressure relief device in organic HAP

gas or vapor service with an instrument reading of less than 500 ppm above background as detected by Method 21 of 40

CFR part 60, appendix A­7.

(2) Pressure release requirements. For pressure relief devices in organic HAP gas or vapor service, the owner or

operator must comply with the applicable requirements in paragraphs (j)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section following a

pressure release.
2/4/2016 eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi­bin/text­idx?SID=bfa40c424ebf92e5c8cd00251d1d9eb0&mc=true&node=20151201y1.63 2/4

(i) If the pressure relief device does not consist of or include a rupture disk, conduct instrument monitoring, as

specified in §60.485(b) or §63.180(c), as applicable, no later than 5 calendar days after the pressure relief device returns

to organic HAP gas or vapor service following a pressure release to verify that the pressure relief device is operating with

an instrument reading of less than 500 ppm.

(ii) If the pressure relief device includes a rupture disk, either comply with the requirements in paragraph (j)(2)(i) of this

section (not replacing the rupture disk) or install a replacement disk as soon as practicable after a pressure release, but no

later than 5 calendar days after the pressure release. The owner or operator must conduct instrument monitoring, as

specified in §60.485(b) or §63.180(c), as applicable, no later than 5 calendar days after the pressure relief device returns

to organic HAP gas or vapor service following a pressure release to verify that the pressure relief device is operating with

an instrument reading of less than 500 ppm.

(iii) If the pressure relief device consists only of a rupture disk, install a replacement disk as soon as practicable after

a pressure release, but no later than 5 calendar days after the pressure release. The owner or operator may not initiate

startup of the equipment served by the rupture disk until the rupture disc is replaced. The owner or operator must conduct

instrument monitoring, as specified in §60.485(b) or §63.180(c), as applicable, no later than 5 calendar days after the

pressure relief device returns to organic HAP gas or vapor service following a pressure release to verify that the pressure

relief device is operating with an instrument reading of less than 500 ppm.

(3) Pressure release management. Except as specified in paragraphs (j)(4) and (5) of this section, the owner or

operator shall comply with the requirements specified in paragraphs (j)(3)(i) through (v) of this section for all pressure relief

devices in organic HAP service no later than January 30, 2019.

(i) The owner or operator must equip each affected pressure relief device with a device(s) or use a monitoring system

that is capable of:

(A) Identifying the pressure release;

(B) Recording the time and duration of each pressure release; and

(C) Notifying operators immediately that a pressure release is occurring. The device or monitoring system may be

either specific to the pressure relief device itself or may be associated with the process system or piping, sufficient to

indicate a pressure release to the atmosphere. Examples of these types of devices and systems include, but are not

limited to, a rupture disk indicator, magnetic sensor, motion detector on the pressure relief valve stem, flow monitor, or

pressure monitor.

(ii) The owner or operator must apply at least three redundant prevention measures to each affected pressure relief

device and document these measures. Examples of prevention measures include:

(A) Flow, temperature, level and pressure indicators with deadman switches, monitors, or automatic actuators.

(B) Documented routine inspection and maintenance programs and/or operator training (maintenance programs and

operator training may count as only one redundant prevention measure).

(C) Inherently safer designs or safety instrumentation systems.

(D) Deluge systems.

(E) Staged relief system where initial pressure relief valve (with lower set release pressure) discharges to a flare or

other closed vent system and control device.

(iii) If any affected pressure relief device releases to atmosphere as a result of a pressure release event, the owner or

operator must perform root cause analysis and corrective action analysis according to the requirement in paragraph (j)(6)

of this section and implement corrective actions according to the requirements in paragraph (j)(7) of this section. The

owner or operator must also calculate the quantity of organic HAP released during each pressure release event and report

this quantity as required in §63.655(g)(10)(iii). Calculations may be based on data from the pressure relief device

monitoring alone or in combination with process parameter monitoring data and process knowledge.

(iv) The owner or operator shall determine the total number of release events occurred during the calendar year for

each affected pressure relief device separately. The owner or operator shall also determine the total number of release

events for each pressure relief device for which the root cause analysis concluded that the root cause was a force

majeureevent, as defined in this subpart.

(v) Except for pressure relief devices described in paragraphs (j)(4) and (5) of this section, the following release

events are a violation of the pressure release management work practice standards.
2/4/2016 eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi­bin/text­idx?SID=bfa40c424ebf92e5c8cd00251d1d9eb0&mc=true&node=20151201y1.63 3/4

(A) Any release event for which the root cause of the event was determined to be operator error or poor maintenance.

(B) A second release event not including force majeure events from a single pressure relief device in a 3 calendar

year period for the same root cause for the same equipment.

(C) A third release event not including force majeure events from a single pressure relief device in a 3 calendar year

period for any reason.

(4) Pressure relief devices routed to a control device. If all releases and potential leaks from a pressure relief device

are routed through a closed vent system to a control device, back into the process or to the fuel gas system, the owner or

operator is not required to comply with paragraph (j)(1), (2), or (3) (if applicable) of this section. Both the closed vent

system and control device (if applicable) must meet the requirements of §63.644. When complying with this paragraph (j)

(4), all references to “Group 1 miscellaneous process vent” in §63.644 mean “pressure relief device.” If a pressure relief

device complying with this paragraph (j)(4) is routed to the fuel gas system, then on and after January 30, 2019, any flares

receiving gas from that fuel gas system must be in compliance with §63.670.

(5) Pressure relief devices exempted from pressure release management requirements. The following types of

pressure relief devices are not subject to the pressure release management requirements in paragraph (j)(3) of this

section.

(i) Pressure relief devices in heavy liquid service, as defined in §63.641.

(ii) Pressure relief devices that only release material that is liquid at standard conditions (1 atmosphere and 68

degrees Fahrenheit) and that are hard­piped to a controlled drain system (i.e., a drain system meeting the requirements

for Group 1 wastewater streams in §63.647(a)) or piped back to the process or pipeline.

(iii) Thermal expansion relief valves.

(iv) Pressure relief devices designed with a set relief pressure of less than 2.5 psig.

(v) Pressure relief devices that do not have the potential to emit 72 lbs/day or more of VOC based on the valve

diameter, the set release pressure, and the equipment contents.

(vi) Pressure relief devices on mobile equipment.

(6) Root cause analysis and corrective action analysis. A root cause analysis and corrective action analysis must be

completed as soon as possible, but no later than 45 days after a release event. Special circumstances affecting the

number of root cause analyses and/or corrective action analyses are provided in paragraphs (j)(6)(i) through (iv) of this

section.

(i) You may conduct a single root cause analysis and corrective action analysis for a single emergency event that

causes two or more pressure relief devices installed on the same equipment to release.

(ii) You may conduct a single root cause analysis and corrective action analysis for a single emergency event that

causes two or more pressure relief devices to release, regardless of the equipment served, if the root cause is reasonably

expected to be a force majeure event, as defined in this subpart.

(iii) Except as provided in paragraphs (j)(6)(i) and (ii) of this section, if more than one pressure relief device has a

release during the same time period, an initial root cause analysis shall be conducted separately for each pressure relief

device that had a release. If the initial root cause analysis indicates that the release events have the same root cause(s),

the initially separate root cause analyses may be recorded as a single root cause analysis and a single corrective action

analysis may be conducted.

(7) Corrective action implementation. Each owner or operator required to conduct a root cause analysis and corrective

action analysis as specified in paragraphs (j)(3)(iii) and (j)(6) of this section shall implement the corrective action(s)

identified in the corrective action analysis in accordance with the applicable requirements in paragraphs (j)(7)(i) through

(iii) of this section.

(i) All corrective action(s) must be implemented within 45 days of the event for which the root cause and corrective

action analyses were required or as soon thereafter as practicable. If an owner or operator concludes that no corrective

action should be implemented, the owner or operator shall record and explain the basis for that conclusion no later than 45

days following the event.

(ii) For corrective actions that cannot be fully implemented within 45 days following the event for which the root cause

and corrective action analyses were required, the owner or operator shall develop an implementation schedule to
2/4/2016 eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi­bin/text­idx?SID=bfa40c424ebf92e5c8cd00251d1d9eb0&mc=true&node=20151201y1.63 4/4

Need assistance?

complete the corrective action(s) as soon as practicable.

(iii) No later than 45 days following the event for which a root cause and corrective action analyses were required, the

owner or operator shall record the corrective action(s) completed to date, and, for action(s) not already completed, a

schedule for implementation, including proposed commencement and completion dates.