(a) Alternative work practice applicability. The owner or operator of a site subject to this division (relating to Fugitive Emission Control in Petroleum Refining, Natural Gas/Gasoline Processing, and Petrochemical Processes in Ozone Nonattainment Areas) or any other division of this chapter (relating to Control of Air Pollution from Volatile Organic Compounds), when specifically allowed by that division, may use the alternative work practice of this section as an optional alternative to hydrocarbon gas analyzer monitoring required under the applicable division. The alternative work practice described in this section may only be used for components with a leak definition specified by a division of this chapter of 500 parts per million by volume (ppmv) or greater.
(b) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings.
  (1) Imaging--A means or process of making emissions visible that may otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.
  (2) Optical gas imaging instrument--An instrument that makes emissions visible that may otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.
  (3) Repair--The adjustment or alteration of a component in order to eliminate a leak.
  (4) Leak--A leak is:
    (A) any emissions imaged by an optical gas imaging instrument, as defined in paragraph (2) of this subsection;
    (B) indications of liquids dripping;
    (C) indications by a sensor that a seal or barrier fluid system has failed; or
    (D) screening results using Method 21 in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 60, Appendix A-7 (October 17, 2000) that exceed the leak definition specified for the component by the applicable division of this chapter.
(c) Optical gas imaging instrument specifications.
  (1) Any optical gas imaging instrument used for the purposes of this section must meet the requirements of 40 CFR §60.18(i)(1) (December 22, 2008).
  (2) The owner or operator shall perform and the optical gas imaging instrument must meet all requirements of the daily instrument check as specified in 40 CFR §60.18(i)(2) (December 22, 2008). In addition, the daily instrument check must be performed by each optical gas imaging instrument operator that will be performing imaging for that day.
(d) Leak survey procedure. The owner or operator shall operate the optical gas imaging instrument to image every component selected for the alternative work practice in this section in accordance with the instrument manufacturer's operating parameters. All emissions imaged by the optical gas imaging instrument are considered to be leaks and subject to repair in accordance with requirements of the applicable division of this chapter. All emissions visible to the naked eye during the leak survey are also considered to be leaks and subject to repair in accordance with the applicable division of this chapter. The operator of the optical gas imaging instrument shall not image a component during the leak survey at a distance greater than the distance demonstrated by that same instrument operator during the daily instrument check for the configuration of the optical gas imaging instrument used in the leak survey.
(e) Frequency. The owner or operator that elects to use the alternative work practice in this section shall perform the leak surveys according to the following.
  (1) The frequency for performing leak surveys on each component must be determined by selecting one of the frequencies in the following table, in lieu of the monitoring frequency specified for the component in the applicable division of this chapter.
Attached Graphic
  (2) Alternative monitoring frequencies for good performance (i.e., skip periods) are not allowed for any component that the owner or operator chooses to monitor using the alternative work practice. Alternative frequency for other purposes may be used when specifically allowed by a division of this chapter (e.g., difficult-to-monitor components).
(f) Annual Method 21 screening. Each component that an owner or operator elects to use the alternative work practice in this section must be monitored once per calendar year using Method 21 in 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A-7 (October 17, 2000) at the leak definition required in the applicable division of this chapter. The owner or operator may choose the specific monitoring period for the annual Method 21 monitoring; however, subsequent Method 21 monitoring must be conducted every 12 months from the initial period.
(g) Notification. The owner or operator that elects to use the alternative work practice in this section shall provide written notification to the appropriate regional office at least 30 days prior to implementing use of the alternative work practice.
  (1) The written notification must include:
    (A) identification of each unit that the alternative work practice will be used for;
    (B) identification of the specific categories of components that the alternative work practice will be used for (e.g., valves, flanges, etc.);
    (C) the total number of components monitored according to the alternative work practice in each of the categories identified as required by subparagraph (B) of this paragraph; and
    (D) the date that the owner or operator will begin using the alternative work practice.
  (2) After the initial notification required under this subsection, the owner or operator is required to resubmit the notification to the appropriate regional office only if use of the alternative work practice is expanded to a process unit not included in the initial notification. Renotification must be submitted within 30 days after implementing use of the alternative work practice in the new process unit.
(h) Operator training. Any person that performs the alternative work practice in this section shall comply with the following minimum training requirements.
  (1) The operator of the optical gas imaging instrument shall receive a minimum of 24 hours of initial training on the specific make and model of optical gas imaging instrument before using the instrument for the purposes of the alternative work practice.
  (2) Operators using optical gas imaging instruments for the alternative work practice shall comply with one of the following requirements for on-going training purposes.
    (A) Operators shall attend an annual eight-hour refresher training class on the optical gas imaging instrument used for the alternative work practice. Operators meeting the requirements of paragraph (3) of this subsection meet the requirements of this subparagraph.
    (B) Operators shall maintain a minimum of 100 hours per 12 months of hands-on operational experience with the make and model of optical gas imaging instrument used for the alternative work practice. Operators electing this option shall maintain a log of the operator's operational experience with the optical gas imaging instrument.
  (3) Prior to using a make and model of optical gas imaging instrument for the alternative work practice in this section on which they have not been trained, operators who have been trained according to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall attend an eight-hour combination update and annual refresher training class on the new make and model of optical gas imaging instrument.

Source Note: The provisions of this §115.358 adopted to be effective June 24, 2010, 35 TexReg 5293