1148.1-1 

(Adopted March 5, 2004) 

RULE 1148.1. OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION WELLS 

(a) Purpose 

The purpose of this rule is to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds 

(VOCs) from the wellheads, the well cellars and the handling of produced gas at 

oil and gas production facilities. 

(b) Applicability 

This rule applies to onshore oil producing wells, well cellars and produced gas 

handling activities at onshore facilities where petroleum and processed gas are 

produced, gathered, separated, processed and stored. Natural gas distribution, 

transmission and associated storage operations are not subject to the requirements 

of this rule. 

(c) Definitions 

 For the purpose of this rule, the following definitions shall apply: 

(1) ABANDONED WELL is a well that has been certified by the California 

Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal 

Resources as permanently closed and non-operational. 

(2) FACILITY is any equipment or group of equipment or other VOCemitting activities, which are located on one or more contiguous properties 

within the District, in actual physical contact or separated solely by a 

public roadway or other public right-of-way, and are owned or operated by 

the same person (or by persons under common control). Such abovedescribed groups, if noncontiguous, but connected only by land carrying a 

pipeline, shall not be considered one facility. 

(3) OIL PRODUCING WELL is a well which produces crude oil. 

(4) PRODUCED GAS is organic compounds that are both gaseous at standard 

temperature and pressure and are associated with the production, 

gathering, separation or processing of crude oil. 

(5) SENSITIVE RECEPTOR is a school (kindergarten through grade 12), 

licensed daycare center, hospital, or convalescent home. 

(6) STUFFING BOX is a packing gland, chamber or “box” used to hold 

packing material compressed around a moving pump rod to reduce the 

escape of gas or liquid. 
Rule 1148.1 (cont.) (Adopted March 5, 2004) 

1148.1-2 

(7) TOTAL ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (TOC) is the concentration of 

gaseous organic compounds determined according to the test method in 

paragraph (g)(1). 

(8) VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND is as defined in Rule 102. 

(9) WELL CELLAR is a lined or unlined containment surrounding one or 

more oil wells, allowing access to the wellhead components for servicing 

and/or installation of blowout prevention equipment. 

(10) WELLHEAD is an assembly of valves mounted to the casing head of an 

oil well through which a well is produced. The wellhead is connected to 

an oil production line and in some cases to a gas casing line. 

(d) Requirements 

(1) The operator shall not allow a concentration of a TOC greater than 500 

ppm in the well cellar. 

(2) Effective July 1, 2004, the operator of an oil and gas production facility 

shall not allow any valve to be opened at the wellhead unless a portable 

container is used to catch and contain organic liquid that would otherwise 

drop into the well cellar or onto the ground. Such container shall be kept 

closed to the atmosphere when it contains organic liquid and is not in use. 

(3) The operator of an oil and gas production facility shall not allow organic 

liquid to be stored in a well cellar. During periods of equipment 

maintenance, well plugging, abandonment operations, or well workover, 

the operator shall pump out or remove organic liquid that accumulates in 

the well cellar no later than two (2) days after the maintenance, drilling, 

well plugging, abandonment or workover activity at the well is completed. 

The operator may store organic liquid in a portable enclosed storage vessel 

provided the vessel is equipped with air pollution control equipment to 

reduce the TOC emissions to less than 250 ppm outlet concentration 

according to the test method in paragraph (g)(1), except where safety 

requirements established in a written company safety manual or policy 

deem it impractical during maintenance, plugging, abandonment, well 

workover or drilling operations. The operator shall conduct a TOC 

measurement according to the test method in paragraph (g)(1) at the time 

of filling, and weekly thereafter to ensure that the system achieves the 

emission standard of 250 ppm. 
Rule 1148.1 (cont.) (Adopted March 5, 2004) 

1148.1-3 

(4) The operator of an oil and gas production facility shall pump out the 

organic liquid accumulated in the well cellar immediately before a well is 

steamed or after a wellhead is steam cleaned. 

(5) The operator of an oil and gas production facility shall pump out or 

remove organic liquid accumulated in the well cellar within five (5) 

calendar days, or by close of the following business day if the well cellar 

is located within 100 meters of a sensitive receptor when the TOC 

concentration in the well cellar is greater than 250 ppm as determined by 

the test method in paragraph (g)(1). In lieu of the method in paragraph 

(g)(1), an operator may measure the depth of accumulated organic liquid 

and pump-out the liquid when the depth exceeds two (2) inches. The 

organic liquid depth may be measured using a “copper coat” gauge or any 

other measuring instrument determined to be acceptable by the Executive 

Officer. 

(6) Effective January 1, 2006, the operator of an oil and gas production 

facility shall not allow natural gas or produced gas to be vented into the 

atmosphere. The emissions of produced gas shall be collected and 

controlled using one of the following: 

 (A) A system handling gas for fuel, sale, or underground injection; or 

(B) A device, approved by the Executive Officer, with a VOC vapor 

removal efficiency demonstrated to be at least 95% by weight per 

test method of paragraph (g)(2) or by demonstrating an outlet VOC 

concentration of 50 ppm according to the test method in paragraph 

(g)(1). If the control device uses supplemental natural gas to 

control VOC, it shall be equipped with a device that automatically 

shuts off the flow of natural gas in the event of a flame-out or pilot 

failure. 

(7) Except as Rule 1173 applies to components of produced gas handling 

equipment located within 100 meters of a sensitive receptor, the operator 

shall repair any gaseous leaks of 250 ppm TOC or greater by the close of 

the business day following the leak discovery or take actions to prevent 

the release of TOC emissions to the atmosphere until repairs have been 

completed. 

(8) Effective March 5, 2004, unless approved in writing by the Executive 

Officer, CARB, and USEPA as having no significant emissions impacts, 

no person shall: 
Rule 1148.1 (cont.) (Adopted March 5, 2004) 

1148.1-4 

(A) Remove or otherwise render ineffective a well cellar at an oil and 

gas production well except for purposes of abandonment to be 

certified by the California Department of Conservation, Division 

of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources; or 

(B) Drill a new oil and gas production well unless a well cellar is 

installed for containment of fluids. 

(e) Operator Inspection Requirements 

(1) Effective July 1, 2004, the operator shall visually inspect: 

 (A) Any stuffing box not located in or above a well cellar daily; 

 (B) Any stuffing box located in or above a well cellar weekly; or 

(C) Any stuffing box or produced gas handling and control equipment 

located 100 meters or less from a sensitive receptor daily. 

Receptor distance shall be determined as the distance measured 

from the stuffing box or produced gas handling and control 

equipment to the property line of the nearest sensitive receptor. 

(2) Notwithstanding the requirements of subparagraphs (e)(1)(A) and 

(e)(1)(B), the operator shall perform monthly visual inspections of any 

stuffing box fitted with a stuffing box adapter, a closed crude oil collection 

container, and a well shut off switch that will shut down the well when the 

container is full. 

(3) Effective, July 1, 2004, except for well cellars listed under subdivision (h), 

the operator shall quarterly, perform an inspection of all well cellars 

according to the test method in paragraph (g)(1). 

(4) Within two (2) days of discovery of organic liquid leakage observed from 

the inspections pursuant to paragraph (e)(1)(A) or (e)(1)(B) and within 8 

hours pursuant to paragraph (e)(1)(C), the operator shall conduct an 

inspection of the stuffing box and well cellar according to the test method 

in paragraph (g)(1) or measure the organic liquid depth using a “copper 

coat” gauge or any other measuring instrument determined to be 

acceptable by the Executive Officer. 

(f) Recordkeeping Requirements 

(1) The operator shall maintain all records that document the purchase and 

installation of the stuffing box adapter(s) to demonstrate compliance with 
Rule 1148.1 (cont.) (Adopted March 5, 2004) 

1148.1-5 

paragraph (e)(2) at the facility or facility headquarters and such records 

shall be made available to the Executive Officer upon request. 

(2) The operator shall maintain all records of inspection, repair and pump-outs 

required by this rule in a form approved by the Executive Officer at the 

facility or facility headquarters for a period of three years or a period of 

five years for a Title V facility and such records shall be made available to 

the Executive Officer upon request. 

(3) The operator shall maintain production records and other applicable 

information and documents sufficient to demonstrate eligibility for any 

exemption claimed pursuant to subdivision (h) and make them available to 

the Executive Officer upon request. 

(g) Test Methods 

(1) Measurement of TOC or VOC concentrations shall be conducted 

according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency 

(USEPA) Reference Method 21 using an appropriate analyzer calibrated 

with methane. The analyzer shall be calibrated before inspection each day 

prior to use. For the purpose of demonstrating compliance with the TOC 

concentration requirements in paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(5), measurement 

of the TOC concentrations shall be conducted at a distance of no more 

than three (3) inches above the organic liquid surface in the well cellar. 

(2) Determination of Efficiency of Emission Control Systems 

 The control equipment efficiency of an emission control system, on a mass 

emissions basis, and the VOC concentrations in the exhaust gases, 

measured and calculated as carbon, shall be determined by USEPA Test 

Methods 25, 25A, or District Method 25.1 - Determination of Total 

Gaseous Non-Methane Organic Emissions as Carbon or District Method 

25.3 Determination of Low Concentration Non-Methane Non-Ethane 

Organic Compound Emissions from Clean Fueled Combustion Sources, as 

applicable. US EPA Test Method 18, or ARB Method 422 shall be used 

to determine emissions of exempt compounds. 

(3) Laboratory Approval 

Sampling, analysis, and reporting shall be conducted by a laboratory that 

has been approved under the District Laboratory Approval Program (LAP) 

for the cited District reference test methods, where LAP approval is 

available. For District reference test methods for which no LAP program 
Rule 1148.1 (cont.) (Adopted March 5, 2004) 

1148.1-6 

is available, the LAP approval requirement shall become effective one 

year after the date that the LAP program becomes available for that 

District reference test method. 

(4) Equivalent Test Methods 

 A person may use other methods to determine compliance with this rule 

provided it is demonstrated to be equivalent and approved in writing by 

the Executive Officers of the District, the California Air Resources Board, 

and the Regional Administrator of the USEPA, or their designees. 

(h) Exemptions 

(1) This rule shall not apply to well cellars associated exclusively with: 

(A) Oil and gas production wells that have been idle and out of 

operation for more than six months with no liquid leaks or 

accumulation of crude oil in the well cellar as indicated by 

production records. All provisions of this rule shall apply upon 

commencement of operation of the idle well. 

(B) Wells that have been certified as an abandoned well by the 

California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas and 

Geothermal Resources. 

(C) Water, gas or steam injection wells. 

(2) The provisions of paragraphs (d)(5), (d)(6) and (d)(7) shall not apply to 

any well or produced gas handling system undergoing maintenance and 

repair, well drilling and well abandonment operations, provided the 

maintenance and repair, drilling or abandonment operation is conducted in 

a manner that minimizes emissions to the atmosphere, and is consistent 

with the written company safety manual or policy. 

(3) The provisions of paragraph (d)(1), (d)(2) and (d)(5) shall not apply to any 

well cellar used in emergencies at oil production facilities, if clean-up 

procedures are implemented within 24 hours after each emergency 

occurrence and completed within ten (10) calendar days. 

(4) The provisions of paragraph (d)(6) of this rule shall not apply to oil and 

gas production wells in operation as of March 5, 2004, that produce no 

more than 1 barrel per day of oil or 200 standard cubic feet per day of 

produced gas per facility, provided that such production wells are not 

located within 100 meters of a sensitive receptor, and provided the 

production can be demonstrated from annual production records. 
Rule 1148.1 (cont.) (Adopted March 5, 2004) 

1148.1-7 

Demonstration of produced gas production shall be based on metered 

measurement of the gas.