(a) The owner or operator of a process unit subject to this subpart shall monitor all connectors in gas/vapor and light liquid service, except as provided in §63.162(b) of this subpart, and in paragraphs (f) through (h) of this section, at the intervals specified in paragraph (b) of this section.

(1) The connectors shall be monitored to detect leaks by the method specified in §63.180(b) of this subpart.

(2) If an instrument reading greater than or equal to 500 parts per million is measured, a leak is detected.

(b) The owner or operator shall monitor for leaks at the intervals specified in either paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section and in paragraph (b)(3) of this section.

(1) For each group of existing process units within an existing source, by no later than 12 months after the compliance date, the owner or operator shall monitor all connectors, except as provided in paragraphs (f) through (h) of this section.

(2) For new sources, within the first 12 months after initial start-up or by no later than 12 months after the date of promulgation of a specific subpart that references this subpart, whichever is later, the owner or operator shall monitor all connectors, except as provided in paragraphs (f) through (h) of this section.

(3) After conducting the initial survey required in paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section, the owner or operator shall perform all subsequent monitoring of connectors at the frequencies specified in paragraphs (b)(3)(i) through (b)(3)(v) of this section, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section:

(i) Once per year (i.e., 12-month period), if the percent leaking connectors in the process unit was 0.5 percent or greater during the last required annual or biennial monitoring period.

(ii) Once every 2 years, if the percent leaking connectors was less than 0.5 percent during the last required monitoring period. An owner or operator may comply with this paragraph by monitoring at least 40 percent of the connectors in the first year and the remainder of the connectors in the second year. The percent leaking connectors will be calculated for the total of all monitoring performed during the 2-year period.

(iii) If the owner or operator of a process unit in a biennial leak detection and repair program calculates less than 0.5 percent leaking connectors from the 2-year monitoring period, the owner or operator may monitor the connectors one time every 4 years. An owner or operator may comply with the requirements of this paragraph by monitoring at least 20 percent of the connectors each year until all connectors have been monitored within 4 years.

(iv) If a process unit complying with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section using a 4-year monitoring interval program has greater than or equal to 0.5 percent but less than 1 percent leaking connectors, the owner or operator shall increase the monitoring frequency to one time every 2 years. An owner or operator may comply with the requirements of this paragraph by monitoring at least 40 percent of the connectors in the first year and the remainder of the connectors in the second year. The owner or operator may again elect to use the provisions of paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section when the percent leaking connectors decreases to less than 0.5 percent.

(v) If a process unit complying with requirements of paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section using a 4-year monitoring interval program has 1 percent or greater leaking connectors, the owner or operator shall increase the monitoring frequency to one time per year. The owner or operator may again elect to use the provisions of paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section when the percent leaking connectors decreases to less than 0.5 percent.

(4) The use of monitoring data generated before April 22, 1994 to qualify for less frequent monitoring is governed by the provisions of §63.180(b)(6).

(c)

(1)

(i) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section, each connector that has been opened or has otherwise had the seal broken shall be monitored for leaks when it is reconnected or within the first 3 months after being returned to organic hazardous air pollutants service. If the monitoring detects a leak, it shall be repaired according to the provisions of paragraph (d) of this section, unless it is determined to be nonrepairable, in which case it is counted as a nonrepairable connector for the purposes of paragraph (i)(2) of this section.

(ii) As an alternative to the requirements in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section, an owner or operator may choose not to monitor connectors that have been opened or otherwise had the seal broken. In this case, the owner or operator may not count nonrepairable connectors for the purposes of paragraph (i)(2) of this section. The owner or operator shall calculate the percent leaking connectors for the monitoring periods described in paragraph (b) of this section, by setting the nonrepairable component, CAN, in the equation in paragraph (i)(2) of this section to zero for all monitoring periods.

(iii) An owner or operator may switch alternatives described in paragraphs (c)(1) (i) and (ii) of this section at the end of the current monitoring period he is in, provided that it is reported as required in §63.182 of this subpart and begin the new alternative in annual monitoring. The initial monitoring in the new alternative shall be completed no later than 12 months after reporting the switch.

(2) As an alternative to the requirements of paragraph (b)(3) of this section, each screwed connector 2 inches or less in nominal inside diameter installed in a process unit before the dates specified in paragraph (c)(2)(iii) or (c)(2)(iv) of this section may:

(i) Comply with the requirements of §63.169 of this subpart, and

(ii) Be monitored for leaks within the first 3 months after being returned to organic hazardous air pollutants service after having been opened or otherwise had the seal broken. If that monitoring detects a leak, it shall be repaired according to the provisions of paragraph (d) of this section.

(iii) For sources subject to subparts F and I of this part, the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) of this section apply to screwed connectors installed before December 31, 1992.

(iv) For sources not identified in paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this section, the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) of this section apply to screwed connectors installed before the date of proposal of the applicable subpart of this part that references this subpart.

(d) When a leak is detected, it shall be repaired as soon as practicable, but no later than 15 calendar days after the leak is detected, except as provided in paragraph (g) of this section and in §63.171 of this subpart. A first attempt at repair shall be made no later than 5 calendar days after the leak is detected.

(e) [Reserved]

(f) Any connector that is designated, as described in §63.181(b)(7)(i) of this subpart, as an unsafe-to-monitor connector is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section if:

(1) The owner or operator determines that the connector is unsafe to monitor because personnel would be exposed to an immediate danger as a result of complying with paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section; and

(2) The owner or operator has a written plan that requires monitoring of the connector as frequently as practicable during safe to monitor periods, but not more frequently than the periodic schedule otherwise applicable.

(g) Any connector that is designated, as described in §63.181(b)(7)(iii) of this subpart, as an unsafe-to-repair connector is exempt from the requirements of paragraphs (a), (d), and (e) of this section if:

(1) The owner or operator determines that repair personnel would be exposed to an immediate danger as a consequence of complying with paragraph (d) of this section; and

(2) The connector will be repaired before the end of the next scheduled process unit shutdown.

(h)

(1) Any connector that is inaccessible or is ceramic or ceramic-lined (e.g., porcelain, glass, or glass-lined), is exempt from the monitoring requirements of paragraphs (a) and (c) of this section and from the recordkeeping and reporting requirements of §63.181 and §63.182 of this subpart. An inaccessible connector is one that is:

(i) Buried;

(ii) Insulated in a manner that prevents access to the connector by a monitor probe;

(iii) Obstructed by equipment or piping that prevents access to the connector by a monitor probe;

(iv) Unable to be reached from a wheeled scissor-lift or hydraulic-type scaffold which would allow access to connectors up to 7.6 meters (25 feet) above the ground;

(v) Inaccessible because it would require elevating the monitoring personnel more than 2 meters above a permanent support surface or would require the erection of scaffold; or

(vi) Not able to be accessed at any time in a safe manner to perform monitoring. Unsafe access includes, but is not limited to, the use of a wheeled scissor-lift on unstable or uneven terrain, the use of a motorized man-lift basket in areas where an ignition potential exists, or access would require near proximity to hazards such as electrical lines, or would risk damage to equipment.

(2) If any inaccessible or ceramic or ceramic-lined connector is observed by visual, audible, olfactory, or other means to be leaking, the leak shall be repaired as soon as practicable, but no later than 15 calendar days after the leak is detected, except as provided in §63.171 of this subpart and paragraph (g) of this section.

(3) A first attempt at repair shall be made no later than 5 calendar days after the leak is detected.

(i) For use in determining the monitoring frequency, as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, the percent leaking connectors shall be calculated as specified in paragraphs (i)(1) and (i)(2) of this section.

(1) For the first monitoring period, use the following equation:

% CL = CL/(Ct + CC) × 100

(2) For subsequent monitoring periods, use the following equation:

% CL = [(CL− CAN)/(Ct + CC)] × 100

(j) Optional credit for removed connectors. If an owner or operator eliminates a connector subject to monitoring under paragraph (b) of this section, the owner or operator may receive credit for elimination of the connector, as described in paragraph (i) of this section, provided the requirements in paragraphs (j)(1) through (j)(4) are met.

(1) The connector was welded after the date of proposal of the specific subpart that references this subpart.

(2) The integrity of the weld is demonstrated by monitoring it according to the procedures in §63.180(b) of this subpart or by testing using X-ray, acoustic monitoring, hydrotesting, or other applicable method.

(3) Welds created after the date of proposal but before the date of promulgation of a specific subpart that references this subpart are monitored or tested by 3 months after the compliance date specified in the applicable subpart.

(4) Welds created after promulgation of the subpart that references this subpart are monitored or tested within 3 months after being welded.

(5) If an inadequate weld is found or the connector is not welded completely around the circumference, the connector is not considered a welded connector and is therefore not exempt from the provisions of this subpart.

[59 FR 19568, Apr. 22, 1994, as amended at 59 FR 48177, Sept. 20, 1994; 61 FR 31440, June 20, 1996; 62 FR 2791, Jan. 17, 1997]