National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Petroleum Refineries
Petroleum refineries are essential to producing gasoline, diesel, and other vital products that keep our world running. However, they also emit hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) that pose significant risks to human health and the environment.
To mitigate these risks, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established Title 40 Chapter I Subchapter C Part 63 Subpart CC, which sets the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) From Petroleum Refineries.
What is Subpart CC?
Subpart CC is a section of the NESHAP regulations specifically tailored to petroleum refineries. It aims to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants through stringent control technologies and operational practices. The hazardous air pollutants targeted by Subpart CC include substances like benzene, toluene, and xylene.
Key Elements of Subpart CC
Emission Limits: The subpart sets specific limits on the amount of hazardous pollutants that can be emitted from various refinery processes and equipment.
Control Technologies: Refineries are required to implement the best available control technologies (BACT) to capture and reduce emissions. This includes equipment like absorbers, carbon adsorbers, condensers, incinerators, flares, boilers, and process heaters.
Operational Standards: In addition to equipment requirements, Subpart CC mandates certain operational practices. For example, refineries must regularly inspect and maintain equipment to ensure it operates efficiently and with minimal emissions.
Monitoring and Reporting: Continuous monitoring of emissions is crucial. Refineries must use approved methods to measure emissions and report to the EPA. This ensures compliance and helps the agency track pollution levels.
Need tips to keep your CEMS equipment running smoothly? Read 5 tips to enhance operational standards at your facility.
Understanding Emission Points in Refineries Under Subpart CC
An emission point in a refinery refers to a specific location or source within the facility where pollutants are released into the environment. These pollutants can be gases, particulates, or other substances.
In the context of this regulatory subpart, the term “affected source” encompasses all emission points located at a single refinery plant site. Emission points at refineries that fall under this rule include:
- Miscellaneous process vents
- Storage vessels
- Wastewater streams and treatment operations
- Equipment leaks
- Gasoline loading racks
- Marine vessel loading operations
- Equipment at bulk gasoline terminals or breakout stations
- Heat exchange systems
- Emissions from decoking operations of coking units
Learn more about heat exchange systems in our blog post, “Understanding Air Emissions Regulations for Industrial Cooling Towers & Heat Exchangers.”
Continuous Monitoring of Operating Parameters
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How Do Refineries Comply?
Compliance with Subpart CC involves several steps:
- Installing Control Equipment: Refineries must equip their facilities with technology capable of reducing HAP emissions.
- Routine Inspections: Regular checks and maintenance ensure that all equipment functions correctly. Learn more about our CEMS Maintenance Program.
- Recordkeeping: Detailed records of emissions and maintenance activities must be kept and made available for EPA inspections.
- Keep copies of all applicable reports and records for at least 5 years unless specified otherwise.
- Records must be readily accessible within 24 hours.
- Records can be maintained in hard copy or electronic form (e.g., paper, microfilm, computer, flash drive, floppy disk, magnetic tape, or microfiche).
- Reporting: Refineries need to submit periodic reports to the EPA, detailing their emissions and any deviations from standards. Our Reporting team is on standby to help your facility meet compliance in its reporting to the EPA.
Learn more about our Reporting Services today.
To review Subpart CC in its entirety, visit here.
How ESC Spectrum Can Help in Refining Plants
Facilities across the U.S. rely on StackVision and Prism, our industry-leading data acquisition system software, for accurate and reliable air emissions monitoring and reporting to meet federal, state, and local requirements.
Our family of 8864 Data Controllers provides a reliable and powerful hardware bridge between StackVision and Prism. They excel at collecting, monitoring, conducting Quality Assurance, and reporting on emissions data from continuous monitoring systems with pinpoint accuracy.
Taylor Hempel - Marketing Specialist II
Taylor Hempel is a skilled marketer specializing in content creation, social media management, and driving customer engagement. With a BBA in Marketing from the University of Texas at San Antonio, she joined ESC Spectrum in February 2022. Taylor is adept at crafting informative content about continuous emissions monitoring systems, its components and data acquisition systems allowing her to craft content that educates and informs industry professionals.
Contact Taylor at thempel@escspectrum.com for questions or comments.
