Draft Control Techniques Guidelines 

for the Oil and Natural Gas Source 

Category

Interagency Review Introductory Briefing

July 29, 2015
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Overview

► Purpose of this Briefing

► Oil and Gas Sector Description

► Scope of Coverage - Control Techniques Guidelines vs NSPS

► Background/Implementation

► Summary of RACT Recommendations

► Model Rule

► Estimate of Reductions and Cost

► Schedule

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Source: Adapted from American Gas Association and EPA Natural Gas STAR Program

Crude Oil to Refineries 

(not included in this source 

category)

Production & Processing

1. Drilling and Well Completion

2. Producing Wells

3. Gathering Lines

4. Gathering and Boosting Stations

5. Gas Processing Plant

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1

2

4

5

6

7

8

10a

10b

10c

10d

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Natural Gas 

Transmission & Storage

6. Transmission Compressor Stations

7. Transmission Pipeline

8. Underground Storage

Distribution

9. Distribution Mains

10. Regulators and Meters for:

a. City Gate

b. Large Volume Customers

c. Residential Customers

d. Commercial Customer

Natural gas systems encompass wells, gas gathering and 

processing facilities, storage, and transmission and distribution 

pipelines. 

Oil and Gas Sector Description

Natural gas distribution is currently out of the scope of the white 

papers and 2015 NSPS Proposed Rule
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Background/Implementation

► Control Techniques Guidelines (CTG):

► Provide guidance to state, local and tribal air agencies to 

assist them in determining reasonably available control 

technology for volatile organic compounds from select 

sources.

► Applies to existing sources in ozone moderate, and higher, 

nonattainment areas and the Ozone Transport Region (OTR).

• Currently 151 counties are designated moderate or higher

• States in OTR - VA, PA, DC, MD, DE, NJ, NY, VT, NH, MA, RI, 

CT, ME

► States are required to submit revisions to their state 

implementation plans after a CTG is finalized.

► Timeline set when CTG is finalized

► Typically given one year to submit revisions

► States have flexibility to adopt RACT recommendations or 

can use them to inform their own determination.

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Scope of Coverage – Draft CTG vs. NSPS

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Emission Source

CTG

(VOC)

2012, 2015 NSPS Proposal

(VOC and/or GHG/Methane )

Storage Vessels Across source category Across source category (VOC only)

Compressors

Production and processing, 

excluding well site compressors

Across the source category, excluding 

well site compressors

Pneumatic Controllers 

Wellhead through natural gas 

processing plant Across the source category

Pneumatic Pumps Production and processing Across the source category

Well Completions Not covered Hydraulically fractured gas wells and 

hydraulically fractured oil wells

Equipment Leaks

Fugitives

Natural gas processing plants

Well sites and compressor 

stations (Production and 

processing)

Natural gas processing plants, well sites, 

and compressor stations

Liquids Unloading Not covered Not covered
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Summary of RACT Recommendations

► Storage vessels

► Across source category

► Ninety five percent reduction of VOC emissions from storage vessels 

with potential to emit greater than 6 tpy

► Compressors

► Production and processing, excluding well site

► Centrifugal Compressors

• Wet seal – Reduce VOC emissions by 95%

• Dry seal – not covered

► Reciprocating Compressors

• Reduce VOC emissions by replacing rod packing after 26,000 hours of 

operation or 36 calendar months, or 

• Route emissions from the rod packing to a process through a closed vent 

system under negative pressure 

► Pneumatic controllers 

► Natural gas processing plants

• Natural gas bleed rate of zero standard cubic feet per hour (scfh)

► Wellhead to natural gas processing plant

• Natural gas bleed rate less than or equal to 6 scfh

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Model Rule

► CTG includes model rule language

► Provides example regulatory text for air agencies to use in 

writing enforceable requirements

► Includes:

► Key definitions

► Identification of affected facilities (applicability)

► Emission control requirements

► Compliance and test methods

► Recordkeeping, reporting and monitoring

► Based on approach included in other CTG documents (e.g. 

Coating Operations at Aerospace Manufacturing and 

Rework Operations (December 1997))
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Estimate of Reductions and Cost

► Potential emission reductions:

► VOC – 23,392 tons per year

► Methane – 4,842 tons per year

► HAP – 734 tons per year

► Potential costs:

► Capital - $446M

► Annual (without savings) - $278M

► Annual (with savings) - $206M

► Based on current ozone moderate, and higher, 

nonattainment areas and the OTR.

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Table 5-1. Summary of the ONG VOC RACT Emission Reductions and Costs

VOC Methane HAP w/o savings w/ savings VOC Methane HAP Capital ($)

Annual w/o 

savings ($/yr)

Annual w/ 

savings ($/yr)

Fugitive Emissions - Gas 

Well Sites

Semiannual OGI 0.76 2.72 0.03 $2,945 $2,111 31,424 113,046 1,184 33,244,088 92,555,240 66,350,133

Fugitive Emissions - Oil 

Well Sites

Semiannual OGI 0.18 0.65 0.01 $12,294 $11,460 7,877 28,338 297 34,783,471 96,841,052 90,272,109

Fugitive Emissions - 

Gathering and Boosting 

Stations

Semiannual OGI 5.86 21.09 0.22 $2,710 $1,876 5,047 18,155 190 9,465,294 13,673,740 9,465,294

Equipment Leaks - 

Processing Plants

NSPS Subpart VVa 4.56 16.39 0.17 $2,844 $2,010 228 820 9 424,950 647,957 457,974

Reciprocating Compressors

- Gathering and Boosting 

Stations

Replace Packing

After 3 Years

1.90 6.84 0.07 $1,132 $298 7,371 26,518 278 21,888,661 8,340,711 2,193,981

Reciprocating Compressors

- Processing

Replace Packing

After 3 Years

4.89 17.58 0.18 $334 ($500) 2,267 8,156 85 1,986,033 756,827 (1,133,746)

Centrifigal Compressors w/ 

Wet Seals - Processing

95% Control, 

Existing 

Combustion Device

18.15 200.45 2.10 $182 $182 985 10,883 114 1,262,361 179,756 179,756

Natural Gas-Driven 

Pneumatic Controllers - Oil 

and Gas Production 

Replace w/ Low 

Bleed 1.41 5.10 0.05 $210 ($627) 30,933 111,616 1,169 59,046,994 6,483,043 (19,390,451)

Natural Gas-Driven 

Pneumatic Controllers -

Processing

Existing Instrument 

Air System

0.28 1.00 0.01 $1,018 $190 3 11 0 22,277 3,175 592

Natural Gas-Driven 

Pneumatic Pumps - 

Production - Diaphram

95% Control, 

Existing 

Combustion Device

0.91 3.29 0.03 $312 $312 4,008 14,419 151 8,773,271 1,250,191 1,250,191

Natural Gas-Driven 

Pneumatic Pumps - 

Production - Piston

95% Control, 

Existing 

Combustion Device

0.10 0.36 0.00 $2,840 $2,840 439 1,578 17 8,742,833 1,245,854 1,245,854

Storage Vessels 95% Control, 

Combustion/VRU a a a a a 23,392 4,842 734 266,116,280 56,228,139 55,911,683

Total 113,974 338,381 4,227 445,756,512 278,205,683 206,803,370

a - There are a wide variety of storage vessel sizes, as well as rates of throughput for each tank. Emissions and costs are directly related to the throughput of liquids for a given storage vessel. In lieu of using 

emission reductions and costs per storage vessel, we used production rate brackets developed by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) for our emission estimates and costs (see Attachments 2 and 3).

Emission Reductions (tpy) Costs ($)

Emission Source

Type of Control Emission Reduction Per Unit (tpy) VOC Cost of Control 

($/ton)

Note: Minor differences may result from rounding.
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Schedule

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Milestones Dates

Interagency Review July 2015

Draft Available for Comment Summer 2015

Final Spring 2016