(a) The provisions of this subpart apply to the following affected facilities in petroleum refineries: fluid catalytic cracking units (FCCU), fluid coking units (FCU), delayed coking units, fuel gas combustion devices (including process heaters), flares and sulfur recovery plants. The sulfur recovery plant need not be physically located within the boundaries of a petroleum refinery to be an affected facility, provided it processes gases produced within a petroleum refinery.

(b) Except for flares and delayed coking units, the provisions of this subpart apply only to affected facilities under paragraph (a) of this section which either commence construction, modification or reconstruction after May 14, 2007, or elect to comply with the provisions of this subpart in lieu of complying with the provisions in subpart J of this part. For flares, the provisions of this subpart apply only to flares which commence construction, modification or reconstruction after June 24, 2008. For the purposes of this subpart, a modification to a flare commences when a project that includes any of the activities in paragraphs (c)(1) or (2) of this section is commenced. For delayed coking units, the provisions of this subpart apply to delayed coking units that commence construction, reconstruction or modification on the earliest of the following dates:

(1) May 14, 2007, for such activities that involve a “delayed coking unit” defined as follows: one or more refinery process units in which high molecular weight petroleum derivatives are thermally cracked and petroleum coke is produced in a series of closed, batch system reactors;

(2) December 22, 2008, for such activities that involve a “delayed coking unit” defined as follows: a refinery process unit in which high molecular weight petroleum derivatives are thermally cracked and petroleum coke is produced in a series of closed, batch system reactors. A delayed coking unit consists of the coke drums and associated fractionator;

(3) September 12, 2012, for such activities that involve a “delayed coking unit” as defined in §60.101a.

(c) For all affected facilities other than flares, the provisions in §60.14 regarding modification apply. As provided in §60.14(f), the special provisions set forth under this subpart shall supersede the provisions in §60.14 with respect to flares. For the purposes of this subpart, a modification to a flare occurs as provided in paragraphs (c)(1) or (2) of this section.

(1) Any new piping from a refinery process unit, including ancillary equipment, or a fuel gas system is physically connected to the flare (e.g., for direct emergency relief or some form of continuous or intermittent venting). However, the connections described in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) through (vii) of this section are not considered modifications of a flare.

(i) Connections made to install monitoring systems to the flare.

(ii) Connections made to install a flare gas recovery system or connections made to upgrade or enhance components of a flare gas recovery system (e.g., addition of compressors or recycle lines).

(iii) Connections made to replace or upgrade existing pressure relief or safety valves, provided the new pressure relief or safety valve has a set point opening pressure no lower and an internal diameter no greater than the existing equipment being replaced or upgraded.

(iv) Connections made for flare gas sulfur removal.

(v) Connections made to install back-up (redundant) equipment associated with the flare (such as a back-up compressor) that does not increase the capacity of the flare.

(vi) Replacing piping or moving an existing connection from a refinery process unit to a new location in the same flare, provided the new pipe diameter is less than or equal to the diameter of the pipe/connection being replaced/moved.

(vii) Connections that interconnect two or more flares.

(2) A flare is physically altered to increase the flow capacity of the flare.

(d) For purposes of this subpart, under §60.15, the “fixed capital cost of the new components” includes the fixed capital cost of all depreciable components which are or will be replaced pursuant to all continuous programs of component replacement which are commenced within any 2-year period following the relevant applicability date specified in paragraph (b) of this section.

[73 FR 35867, June 24, 2008, as amended at 77 FR 56464, Sep. 12, 2012; 80 FR 75230, Dec. 1, 2015]