Bay Area Air Quality Management District June 4, 2003

12-11-1 

### REGULATION 12 MISCELLANEOUS STANDAR DS OF PERFORMANCE RULE 11 FLARE MONITORING AT PETROLEUM REFINERIES

INDEX

12-11-100 GENERAL

12-11-101 Description 12-11-110 Exemption, Organic Li quid Storage and Distribution 12-11-111 Exemption, Marine Vessel Loading Terminals 12-11-112 Exemption, Wast ewater Treatment Plants 12-11-113 Exemption, Pumps 12-11-114 Limited Exemption, Total Hydrocarbon and Methane Composition Monitoring and Reporting

12-11-200 DEFINITIONS

12-11-201 Flare 12-11-202 Flare Monitoring System 12-11-203 Flaring
12-11-204 Gas 12-11-205 Petroleum Refinery
12-11-206 Pilot Gas 12-11-207 Purge Gas 12-11-208 Sulfur Recovery Plant
12-11-209 Thermal Oxidizer
12-11-210 Vent Gas

12-11-400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

12-11-401 Flare Data Reporting Requirements 12-11-402 Semi-Annual Flow Verification Report

12-11-500 MONITORING AND RECORDS

12-11-501 Vent Gas Flow Monitoring 12-11-502 Vent Gas Composition Monitoring 12-11-503 Ignition Monitoring 12-11-504 Pilot and Purge Gas Monitoring 12-11-505 Recordkeeping Requirements 12-11-506 General Monitoring Requirements 12-11-507 Video Monitoring

12-11-600 MANUAL OF PROCEDURES

12-11-601 Testing, Sampling, and Analytical Methods

12-11-602 Flow Verification Test MethodsBay Area Air Quality Management District June 4, 2003

12-11-2Bay Area Air Quality Management District June 4, 2003

12-11-3 

### REGULATION 12 MISCELLANEOUS STANDAR DS OF PERFORMANCE RULE 11 FLARE MONITORING AT PETROLEUM REFINERIES

(Adopted June 4, 2003)

12-11-100 GENERAL

12-11-101 Description: The purpose of this rule is to require monitoring and recording of emission data for flares at petroleum refineries. 12-11-110 Exemption, Organic Li quid Storage and Distribution: The provisions of this rule shall not apply to flares or thermal oxidizers used to control emissions exclusively from organic liquid storage vessels subject to Regulation 8, Rule 5 or exclusively from loading racks subject to Regulation 8 Rules 6, 33, or 39. 12-11-111 Exemption, Marine Vessel Loading Terminals: The provisions of this rule shall not apply to flares or thermal oxidizers used to control emissions exclusively from marine vessel loading terminals subject to Regulation 8, Rule 44. 12-11-112 Exemption, Wastewater Treatment Systems: The provisions of this rule shall not apply to thermal oxidizers used to control emissions exclusively from wastewater treatment systems subject to Regulation 8, Rule 8. 12-11-113 Exemption, Pumps: The provisions of this rule shall not apply to thermal oxidizers used to control emissions exclusively from pump seals subject to Regulation 8, Rule 18. This exemption does not apply when emis sions from a pump are routed to a flare

header. 12-11-114 Limited Exemption, Total Hydrocarbon and Methane Composition Monitoring and Reporting: The provisions of Sections 12-11-401.2, 401.3, 401.5, 502.2 and 502.3 that require monitoring and repor ting of total hydrocarbon and methane composition shall not apply to a flare that exclusively burns flexicoker gas with or without supplemental natural ga s, provided that the owner or operator demonstrates by weekly sampling and analysis, verified by the APCO, that the methane content and the non-methane content of the vent gas flared are less than 2 percent and 1 percent by volume, respectively.

12-11-200 DEFINITIONS

12-11-201 Flare: A combustion device that uses an open flame to burn combustible gases with combustion air provided by uncontrolled ambient air around the flame. Flares may

be either continuous or intermittent and ar e not equipped with devices for fuel-air mix control or for temperature control. Th is term includes both ground and elevated
flares. 12-11-202 Flare Monitoring System: All sample systems, transducers, transmitters, data acquisition equipment, data recording equipment, video monitoring equipment, and video recording equipment involved in flare monitoring. 12-11-203 Flaring: A high-temperature combustion process used to burn vent gases.

12-11-204 Gas: The state of matter that has neither independent shape nor volume, but tends to expand indefinitely. For the purposes of this rule, “gas” includes aerosols and the terms “gas” and “gases” are interchangeable. 12-11-205 Petroleum Refinery: A facility that processes petroleum, as defined in the North American Industrial Classification Standard No. 32411, and including any associated sulfur recovery plant.

12-11-206 Pilot Gas: The gas used to maintain the presence of a flame for ignition of vent

gases. 12-11-207 Purge Gas: The gas used to prevent air backfl ow in the flare system when there is no vent gas.Bay Area Air Quality Management District June 4, 2003

12-11-4 12-11-208 Sulfur Recovery Plant: A process unit that processes sulfur and ammonia containing material and produces a final product of elemental sulfur.

12-11-209 Thermal Oxidizer: An enclosed or partially enclos ed combustion device that is used to oxidize combustible gases, that g enerally comes equipped with controls for combustion chamber temperature and often with controls for air/fuel mixture, and that exhausts all combustion products through a vent, duct, or stack so that emissions can be measured directly.

12-11-210 Vent Gas: Any gas directed to a flare excludin g assisting air or steam, flare pilot gas, and any continuous purge gases.

12-11-400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

12-11-401 Flare Data Reporting Requirements: The owner or operator of a flare shall submit a monthly report to the APCO on or before 30 days after the end of each month for each flare subject to this rule. Only on e report is required for a staged or cascading flare system if all flares in the system serve the same header or headers. The report shall be in an electronic format approved by the APCO. Each monthly report shall include all of the following:
401.1 The total volumetric flow of vent gas in standard cubic feet for each day and for the month, and, effective for the first full month after the commencement of the monitoring required by Section 12- 11-501, for each hour of the month. 401.2 If vent gas composition is monitored using sampling or integrated sampling, total hydrocarbon content as propane by volume, methane content by volume, and, hydrogen sulfide content by volume, for each sample or integrated sample required by Sectio n 12-11-502. If the content of any additional compound or compounds is determined by the analysis of a sample or integrated sample, the co ntent by volume of each additional compound. 401.3 If vent gas composition is monitored by a continuous analyzer or analyzers pursuant to Section 12-11-502, average total hydrocarbon content as propane by volume, average methane content by volume, and, depending upon the analytical method used pursuant to Section 12-11-601, total reduced sulfur content by volume or hydrogen sulfide content by volume of vent gas flared for each hour of the m onth. If the content of any additional compound or compounds is determined by the continuous analyzer or analyzers, the average content by volume for each additional compound for

each hour of the month. 401.4 If the flow monitor installed pursuant to Section 12-11-501 measures molecular weight, the average molecular weight for each hour of the month. 401.5 For any pilot and purge gas used, the type of gas used, the volumetric flow for each day and for the month, and the means used to determine flow. 401.6 For any 24-hour period during which more than 1 million standard cubic feet of vent gas was flared, a de scription of the flaring including the cause, time of occurrence and duration, the source or equipment from which the vent gas originated, and any measures taken to reduce or eliminate flaring. 401.7 Flare monitoring system downtime periods, including dates and times. 401.8 The archive of images recorded for the month pursuant to Section 12-11-

507. 401.9 For each day and for the month provide calculated methane, non-methane and sulfur dioxide emissions. For the pu rposes of emission calculations only, a flare control efficiency of 98 percent shall be used for hydrocarbon flares, and a flare control efficiency of 93 percent shall be used for flexi-gas flares or if, based on the composition analysis specified in Section 12-11-502, the calculated lower heating value of t he vent gas is less than 300 British Thermal Units/Standard Cubic Foot (BTU/SCF).Bay Area Air Quality Management District June 4, 2003

12-11-5 12-11-402 Flow Verification Report: Effective twelve months after adoption of this rule and every six months thereafter, the owner or operator of a flare shall submit a flow verification report to the APCO for each flare subject to the rule. The flow verification report shall be included in the correspondi ng monthly report required by Section 12- 11-401. Only one report is required for a stage d or cascading flare system if all flares in the system serve the same header or heade rs. The report shall compare flow as measured by the flow monitoring equipment required by Section 12-11-501 and a flow verification pursuant to Section 12-11-602 for the same period or periods of time. The owner or operator shall demonstrate t hat the flow verification was performed using good engineering practices. If there are no flaring events as described in Section 12-11-401.6 during the preceding six- month period, a flow verification report is not required for that period.

12-11-500 MONITORING AND RECORDS

12-11-501 Vent Gas Flow Monitoring: Effective 180 days after adoption of this rule, the owner or operator of a petroleum refinery shall not operate a flare unless vent gas to the flare is continuously monitored for volume tric flow by a device that meets the following requirements: 501.1 The minimum detectible velocity shall be 0.1 foot per second. 501.2 The device shall continuously measur e the range of flow rates corresponding to velocities from 0.5 to 275 feet per second in the header in which the

device is installed.
501.3 The device shall have a manufac turer’s specified accuracy of ± 5% over the range of 1 to 275 feet per second.

501.4 The device shall be installed at a loca tion where measured volumetric flow is representative of flow to the flare or to the flare system in the case of a staged or cascading flare system consisting of more than one flare. 501.5 Effective 180 days after adoption of this rule, the owner or operator shall provide access for the APCO to verify proper installation and operation of the flare monitoring system. 501.6 Effective 18 months after adoption of this rule, the flow monitoring system

shall be maintained to be accurate to within ± 20% as demonstrated by the flow verification report specified in Section 12-11-402. 12-11-502 Vent Gas Composition Monitoring: The owner or operator of a petroleum refinery shall not operate a flare unless the following requirements are met: 502.1 Requirements applicable to all vent gas composition monitoring: 1.1 Vent gas monitored for compositio n, whether by sampling, integrated sampling or continuous monitoring, shall be taken from a location at which samples are representative of vent gas composition. If flares share a common header, a sample from the header will be deemed representative of vent gas composit ion for all flares served by the

header. 1.2 Effective 90 days after the adoption of this rule, the monitoring system shall provide access for the APCO to co llect vent gas samples to verify the analyses required by Section 12-11-502. 502.2 Effective 90 days after adoption of th is rule and until the requirements of Section 12-11-502.3 are met, the owner or operator shall monitor vent gas composition through sampling that meets the following requirements: 2.1 For each day on which flaring occurs, one sample shall be taken within 30 minutes of the commencement of flaring. 2.2 Samples may be taken from the flare header or from an alternate location at which samples are representative of vent gas composition. 2.3 Samples shall be analyzed pursuant to Section 12-11-601. 502.3 Effective 270 days after adoption of this rule, the owner or operator shall monitor vent gas composition using on e of the following four methods:Bay Area Air Quality Management District June 4, 2003

12-11-6 3.1 Sampling that meets t he following requirements: a. If the flow rate of vent gas flared in any consecutive 15-minute period continuously exceeds 330 standard cubic feet per minute (SCFM), a sample shall be taken within 15 minutes, except that, for flares exclusively serving sulf ur or ammonia plants, a sample shall be taken within 1 hour or composition data representing worst-case conditions shall be pr ovided by the owner or operator and verified by the APCO. The sampling frequency thereafter shall be one sample every three hours and shall continue until the flow rate of vent gas flared in any consecutive 15-minute period is continuously 330 SCFM or less. In no case shall a sample be required more frequently than once every 3 hours. b. Samples shall be analyzed pursuant to Section 12-11-601. 3.2 Integrated sampling that m eets the following requirements: a. If the flow rate of vent gas fl ared in any consecutive 15 minute period continuously exceeds 330 standard cubic feet per minute (SCFM), integrated sampling shall begin within 15 minutes and shall continue until the flow rate of vent gas flared in any consecutive 15 minute period is c ontinuously 330 SCFM or less. b. Integrated sampling shall consist of a minimum of one aliquot for each 15-minute period until the sample container is full. If sampling is still required pursuant to Section 12-11-502.3.2a, a new sample container shall be placed in service within one hour after the previous container was f illed. A sample container shall not be used for a sampling period that exceeds 24 hours. c. Samples shall be analyzed pursuant to Section 12-11-601. 3.3 Continuous analyzers that m eet the following requirements: a. The analyzers shall continuously monitor for total hydrocarbon, methane, and, depending upon the analytical method used pursuant to Section 12-11-601, hy drogen sulfide or total reduced

sulfur. b. The hydrocarbon analyzer shall have a full-scale range of 100% total hydrocarbon. c. Each analyzer shall be maintained to be accurate to within 20% when compared to any field accuracy tests or to within 5% of full

scale. 3.4 A continuous analyzer employing gas chromatography that meets the following requirements: a. The gas chromatography system shall monitor for total hydrocarbon, methane, and hydrogen sulfide. b. The gas chromatography system shall be maintained to be
accurate to within 5% of full scale. 12-11-503 Pilot Monitoring: Any flare subject to this rule must be equipped and operated with an automatic igniter or a continuous burning pilot, which must be maintained in good working order. If a pilot flame is employ ed, the flame shall be monitored with a device to detect the presence of the pilot flam e. If an electric arc ignition system is employed, the system shall pulse on detection of loss of pilot flame and until the pilot

flame is reestablished. 12-11-504 Pilot and Purge Gas Monitoring: The owner or operator of a petroleum refinery shall not operate a flare unless (1) volumetric flows of purge and pilot gases are monitored by flow measuring devices, or (2 ) other parameters are monitored so that volumetric flows of pilot and purge gas may be calculated based on pilot design and the parameters monitored. 12-11-505 Recordkeeping Requirements: Except as provided in Section 12-11-507, the owner or operator of a flare shall maintain records for all the information required toBay Area Air Quality Management District June 4, 2003

12-11-7 be monitored for a period of five years and make such records available to the APCO upon request. 12-11-506 General Monitoring Requirements: Persons responsible for monitoring subject to this rule shall comply with the following: 506.1 Periods of flare monitoring system inoperation greater than 24 continuous hours shall be reported by the following working day, followed by notification of resumption of monitoring. Adequate proof of expeditious repair shall be furnished to the APCO for downtime in excess of fifteen consecutive days. Periods of inoperation of the vent gas flow monitoring required by Section 12- 11-501 shall not exceed 30 days per cal endar year. Periods of inoperation of vent gas composition monitoring s pecified in Sections 12-11-502.3.2 (integrated sampling) and 12-11-502.3. 4 (gas chromatography) shall not exceed 30 days per calendar year. Effective 450 days after the adoption of this rule, periods of inoperation of the vent gas composition monitoring specified in Section 12-11-502.3.3 (c ontinuous analyzers) shall not exceed 30 days per calendar year per analyzer. Periods of inoperation of video monitoring specified in Section 12-1 1-507 shall not exceed 30 days per calendar year. 506.2 During periods of inoperation of continuous analyzers or auto-samplers installed pursuant to Section 12-11-502, persons responsible for monitoring shall take samples as required by Section 12-11-502.2.1. During periods of inoperation of flow monitors required by Section 12-11-501, flow shall be calculated using good engineering practices. 506.3 The person(s) responsible for monitors subject to this rule shall maintain and calibrate all required monitors and reco rding devices in accordance with the applicable manufacturer’s specificati ons. In order to claim that a manufacturer’s specification is not applicable, the person responsible for emissions must have, and follow, a written maintenance policy that was developed for the device in question. The written policy must explain and justify the difference between the wri tten procedure and the manufacturer’s procedure. 506.4 Data Recording System: All in-line continuous analyzer and flow monitoring data must be continuously recorded by an electronic data acquisition system capable of one-minute averages. Flow monitoring data shall be recorded as one-minute averages. 12-11-507 Video Monitoring: For each flare equipped with video monitoring capability as of January 1, 2003, the owner or operator of a flare subject to this rule shall, effective 180 days after adoption of this rule, install and maintain equipment that records a real-time digital image of the flare and flame at a frame rate of no less than 1 frame per minute. The recorded image of the flar e shall be of sufficient size, contrast, and resolution to be readily apparent in the overall image or frame. The image shall include an embedded date and time stamp. The equipment shall archive the images for each 24-hour period. Effective 180 days after adoption of this rule, for any flare for which the report required by Section 12-11-401 shows that more than 1 million standard cubic feet of vent gas was flar ed in any 24-hour period, the owner or operator of the flare shall, within 90 days after the end of the month covered by the report, meet the same requirements as those imposed by this Section for flares with existing video monitoring capability.

12-11-600 MANUAL OF PROCEDURES

12-11-601 Testing, Sampling, and Analytical Methods: 601.1 Samples and integrated samples shall be analyzed using the following test methods, or latest revision, where applicable:Bay Area Air Quality Management District June 4, 2003

12-11-8 1.1 Total hydrocarbon content and met hane content of vent gas shall be determined using ASTM Method D1945-96, ASTM Method UOP 539- 97, or EPA Method 18. 1.2 Hydrogen sulfide content of vent gas shall be determined using ASTM
Method D1945-96 or ASTM Method UOP 539-97. 1.3 Any alternative method to the ab ove methods if approved by the APCO

and EPA. 601.2 Except as provided in Section 12 -11-601.3, if vent gas composition is monitored using continuous analyze rs, the analyzers shall employ the following methods, or latest revision, where applicable: 2.1 Total hydrocarbon content and met hane content of vent gas shall be determined using EPA Method 25A or 25B.
2.2 Total reduced sulfur content of vent gas shall be determined using
ASTM Method D4468-85. 2.3 Hydrogen sulfide content shall be determined using ASTM Method

D4084-94. 2.4 Any alternative method to the ab ove methods if approved by the APCO

and EPA. 601.3 If vent gas composition is monitor ed with a continuous analyzer employing gas chromatography, the following requirements shall be met: 3.1 ASTM Method D1945-96 or latest revision, or ASTM Method UOP 539-

97 or latest revision shall be used. 3.2 The system shall analyze sample s for total hydrocarbon content, methane content, and hydrogen sulfide content. 3.3 The minimum sampling frequency shall be one sample every 30

minutes. 3.4 Any alternative method to the ab ove methods if approved by the APCO

and EPA.
12-11-602 Flow Verification Test Methods: For purposes of the semi-annual verification required by Section 12-11-402, vent gas fl ow shall be determined using one or more of the following methods: 602.1 District Manual of Procedures, Volume IV, ST-17 and ST-18; 602.2 EPA Methods 1 and 2; 602.3 Other flow monitoring devices or process monitors. 602.4 Any verification method recommended by the manufacturer of the flow monitoring equipment installed pur suant to Section 12-11-501. 602.5 Tracer gas dilution or velocity. 602.6 Any alternative method approved by the APCO and EPA.