Title 40
SECTION 112.9
112.9 Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan Requirements for onshore oil production facilities (excluding drilling and workover facilities).
§ 112.9 Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan Requirements for onshore oil production facilities (excluding drilling and workover facilities).If you are the owner or operator of an onshore oil production facility (excluding a drilling or workover facility), you must:
(a) Meet the general requirements for the Plan listed under § 112.7, and the specific discharge prevention and containment procedures listed under this section.
(b) Oil production facility drainage. (1) At tank batteries and separation and treating areas where there is a reasonable possibility of a discharge as described in § 112.1(b), close and seal at all times drains of dikes or drains of equivalent measures required under § 112.7(c)(1), except when draining uncontaminated rainwater. Prior to drainage, you must inspect the diked area and take action as provided in § 112.8(c)(3)(ii), (iii), and (iv). You must remove accumulated oil on the rainwater and return it to storage or dispose of it in accordance with legally approved methods.
(2) Inspect at regularly scheduled intervals field drainage systems (such as drainage ditches or road ditches), and oil traps, sumps, or skimmers, for an accumulation of oil that may have resulted from any small discharge. You must promptly remove any accumulations of oil.
(c) Oil production facility bulk storage containers. (1) Not use a container for the storage of oil unless its material and construction are compatible with the material stored and the conditions of storage.
(2) Except as described in paragraph (c)(5) of this section for flow-through process vessels and paragraph (c)(6) of this section for produced water containers and any associated piping and appurtenances downstream from the container, construct all tank battery, separation, and treating facility installations, so that you provide a secondary means of containment for the entire capacity of the largest single container and sufficient freeboard to contain precipitation. You must safely confine drainage from undiked areas in a catchment basin or holding pond.
(3) Except as described in paragraph (c)(5) of this section for flow-through process vessels and paragraph (c)(6) of this section for produced water containers and any associated piping and appurtenances downstream from the container, periodically and upon a regular schedule visually inspect each container of oil for deterioration and maintenance needs, including the foundation and support of each container that is on or above the surface of the ground.
(4) Engineer or update new and old tank battery installations in accordance with good engineering practice to prevent discharges. You must provide at least one of the following:
(i) Container capacity adequate to assure that a container will not overfill if a pumper/gauger is delayed in making regularly scheduled rounds.
(ii) Overflow equalizing lines between containers so that a full container can overflow to an adjacent container.
(iii) Vacuum protection adequate to prevent container collapse during a pipeline run or other transfer of oil from the container.
(iv) High level sensors to generate and transmit an alarm signal to the computer where the facility is subject to a computer production control system.
(5) Flow-through process vessels. The owner or operator of a facility with flow-through process vessels may choose to implement the alternate requirements as described below in lieu of sized secondary containment required in paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(3) of this section.
(i) Periodically and on a regular schedule visually inspect and/or test flow-through process vessels and associated components (such as dump valves) for leaks, corrosion, or other conditions that could lead to a discharge as described in § 112.1(b).
(ii) Take corrective action or make repairs to flow-through process vessels and any associated components as indicated by regularly scheduled visual inspections, tests, or evidence of an oil discharge.
(iii) Promptly remove or initiate actions to stabilize and remediate any accumulations of oil discharges associated with flow-through process vessels.
(iv) If your facility discharges more than 1,000 U.S. gallons of oil in a single discharge as described in § 112.1(b), or discharges more than 42 U.S. gallons of oil in each of two discharges as described in § 112.1(b) within any twelve month period, from flow-through process vessels (excluding discharges that are the result of natural disasters, acts of war, or terrorism) then you must, within six months from the time the facility becomes subject to this paragraph, ensure that all flow-through process vessels subject to this subpart comply with § 112.9(c)(2) and (c)(3).
(6) Produced water containers. For each produced water container, comply with § 112.9(c)(1) and (c)(4); and § 112.9(c)(2) and (c)(3), or comply with the provisions of the following paragraphs (c)(6)(i) through (v):
(i) Implement, on a regular schedule, a procedure for each produced water container that is designed to separate the free-phase oil that accumulates on the surface of the produced water. Include in the Plan a description of the procedures, frequency, amount of free-phase oil expected to be maintained inside the container, and a Professional Engineer certification in accordance with § 112.3(d)(1)(vi). Maintain records of such events in accordance with § 112.7(e). Records kept under usual and customary business practices will suffice for purposes of this paragraph. If this procedure is not implemented as described in the Plan or no records are maintained, then you must comply with § 112.9(c)(2) and (c)(3).
(ii) On a regular schedule, visually inspect and/or test the produced water container and associated piping for leaks, corrosion, or other conditions that could lead to a discharge as described in § 112.1(b) in accordance with good engineering practice.
(iii) Take corrective action or make repairs to the produced water container and any associated piping as indicated by regularly scheduled visual inspections, tests, or evidence of an oil discharge.
(iv) Promptly remove or initiate actions to stabilize and remediate any accumulations of oil discharges associated with the produced water container.
(v) If your facility discharges more than 1,000 U.S. gallons of oil in a single discharge as described in § 112.1(b), or discharges more than 42 U.S. gallons of oil in each of two discharges as described in § 112.1(b) within any twelve month period from a produced water container subject to this subpart (excluding discharges that are the result of natural disasters, acts of war, or terrorism) then you must, within six months from the time the facility becomes subject to this paragraph, ensure that all produced water containers subject to this subpart comply with § 112.9(c)(2) and (c)(3).
(d) Facility transfer operations, oil production facility. (1) Periodically and upon a regular schedule inspect all aboveground valves and piping associated with transfer operations for the general condition of flange joints, valve glands and bodies, drip pans, pipe supports, pumping well polish rod stuffing boxes, bleeder and gauge valves, and other such items.
(2) Inspect saltwater (oil field brine) disposal facilities often, particularly following a sudden change in atmospheric temperature, to detect possible system upsets capable of causing a discharge.
(3) For flowlines and intra-facility gathering lines that are not provided with secondary containment in accordance with § 112.7(c), unless you have submitted a response plan under § 112.20, provide in your Plan the following:
(i) An oil spill contingency plan following the provisions of part 109 of this chapter.
(ii) A written commitment of manpower, equipment, and materials required to expeditiously control and remove any quantity of oil discharged that might be harmful.
(4) Prepare and implement a written program of flowline/intra-facility gathering line maintenance. The maintenance program must address your procedures to:
(i) Ensure that flowlines and intra-facility gathering lines and associated valves and equipment are compatible with the type of production fluids, their potential corrosivity, volume, and pressure, and other conditions expected in the operational environment.
(ii) Visually inspect and/or test flowlines and intra-facility gathering lines and associated appurtenances on a periodic and regular schedule for leaks, oil discharges, corrosion, or other conditions that could lead to a discharge as described in § 112.1(b). For flowlines and intra-facility gathering lines that are not provided with secondary containment in accordance with § 112.7(c), the frequency and type of testing must allow for the implementation of a contingency plan as described under part 109 of this chapter.
(iii) Take corrective action or make repairs to any flowlines and intra-facility gathering lines and associated appurtenances as indicated by regularly scheduled visual inspections, tests, or evidence of a discharge.
(iv) Promptly remove or initiate actions to stabilize and remediate any accumulations of oil discharges associated with flowlines, intra-facility gathering lines, and associated appurtenances.
[73 FR 74304, Dec. 5, 2008, as amended at 74 FR 58810, Nov. 13, 2009]