(a) Purpose. This subpart is intended to prevent oil and gas facilities, for which effluent limitations guidelines and standards, new source performance standards, or pretreatment standards have been promulgated under this part, from circumventing the effluent limitations guidelines and standards applicable to those facilities by moving effluent produced in one subcategory to another subcategory for disposal under less stringent requirements than intended by this part.

(b) Applicability. The effluent limitations and standards applicable to an oil and gas facility shall be determined as follows:

(1) An Oil and Gas facility, operator, or its agent or contractor may move its wastewaters from a facility located in one subcategory to another subcategory for treatment and return it to a location covered by the original subcategory for disposal. In such case, the effluent limitations guidelines, new source performance standards, or pretreatment standards for the original subcategory apply.

(2) An Oil and Gas facility, operator, or its agent or contractor may move its wastewaters from a facility located in one subcategory to another subcategory for disposal or treatment and disposal, provided:

(i) If an Oil and Gas facility, operator or its agent or contractor moves wastewaters from a wellhead located in one subcategory to another subcategory where oil and gas facilities are governed by less stringent effluent limitations guidelines, new source performance standards, or pretreatment standards, the more stringent effluent limitations guidelines, new source performance standards, or pretreatment standards applicable to the subcategory where the wellhead is located shall apply.

(ii) If an Oil and Gas facility, operator or its agent moves effluent from a wellhead located in one subcategory to another subcategory where oil and gas facilities are governed by more stringent effluent limitations guidelines, new source performance standards, or pretreatment standards, the more stringent effluent limitations guidelines, new source performance standards, or pretreatment standards applicable at the point of discharge shall apply.

[61 FR 66129, Dec. 16, 1996]