Section 95667 - Definitions(a) For the purposes of this subarticle, the following definitions apply: (1) "Air district or local air district" means the local Air Quality Management District or the local Air Pollution Control District.(2) "API gravity" means a scale used to reflect the specific gravity (SG) of a fluid such as crude oil, condensate, produced water, or natural gas. The API gravity is calculated as [(141.5/SG) - 131.5], where SG is the specific gravity of the fluid at 60°F, and where API refers to the American Petroleum Institute.(3) "Blowout" means the uncontrolled flow of gas, liquids, or solids (or a mixture thereof) from a well to the surface.(4) "California waters" means any surface or groundwater, including saline waters, within the territorial boundaries of the state. California's territorial boundaries extend three nautical miles beyond the outermost islands, reefs, and rocks, and include all waters between the islands and the coast.(5) "CARB" means the California Air Resources Board.(6) "Centrifugal compressor" means equipment that increases the pressure of natural gas by centrifugal action through an impeller. Screw, sliding vane, and liquid ring compressors are not centrifugal compressors for the purpose of this subarticle.(7) "Centrifugal compressor seal" means a wet or dry seal around the compressor shaft where the shaft exits the compressor case.(8) "Circulation tank" means a tank or portable tank used to circulate, store, or hold liquids or solids from a crude oil or natural gas well during or following a well stimulation treatment but prior to the well being put into production.(9) "Commercial quality natural gas" means a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons with at least 80 percent methane by volume and less than 10 percent by weight volatile organic compounds and meets the criteria specified in Public Utilities Commission General Order 58-A (November 10, 2016), which is incorporated herein by reference.(10) "Component" means a valve, fitting, flange, threaded-connection, process drain, stuffing box, pressure-vacuum valve, pressure-relief device, pipes, seal fluid system, diaphragm, hatch, sight-glass, meter, open-ended line, well casing, natural gas powered pneumatic controller, natural gas powered pneumatic pump, or reciprocating compressor rod packing or seal for compressors located at onshore or offshore crude oil or natural gas production facilities.(11) "Condensate" means hydrocarbon or other liquid, excluding steam, either produced or separated from crude oil or natural gas during production and which condenses due to changes in pressure or temperature.(12) "Continuous bleed" means the continuous venting of natural gas from a gas powered pneumatic controller to the atmosphere. Continuous bleed pneumatic controllers are those that vent continuously in order to operate.(13) "Critical component" means any component that would require the shutdown of a critical process unit if that component was shutdown or disabled.(14) "Critical process unit" means a process unit or group of components that must remain in service because of its importance to the overall process that requires it to continue to operate, and has no equivalent equipment to replace it or cannot be bypassed, and it is technically infeasible to repair leaks from that process unit without shutting it down and opening the process unit to the atmosphere.(15) "Crude oil" means a mixture of hydrocarbons that exists in liquid or semi-solid phase in natural underground reservoirs and remains liquid or semi-solid at atmospheric pressure after passing through surface separating facilities.(16) "Crude oil and produced water separation and storage" means all activities associated with separating, storing or holding of emulsion, crude oil, condensate, or produced water at facilities to which this subarticle applies.(17) "Direct measurement" means a flow rate measurement performed using one of the following methods: (A) High-volume sampling performed in accordance with Appendix G; or(B) Measurement with a calibrated flow measuring instrument that meets the requirements in US EPA Method 2D ( 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A-1, January 14, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference) and is calibrated on an annual basis according to the requirements in US EPA Method 2D ( 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A-1, January 14, 2019).(18) "Emissions" means the discharge of natural gas into the atmosphere.(19) "Emulsion" means any mixture of crude oil, condensate, or produced water with varying quantities of natural gas entrained in the liquids.(20) "Equipment" means any stationary or portable machinery, object, or contrivance covered by this subarticle, as set out by sections 95666 and 95668.(21) "Facility" means any building, structure, or installation to which this subarticle applies and which has the potential to emit natural gas. Facilities include all buildings, structures, or installations which:(A) Are under the same ownership or operation, or which are owned or operated by entities which are under common control;(B) Belong to the same industrial grouping either by virtue of falling within the same two-digit standard industrial classification code or by virtue of being part of a common industrial process, manufacturing process, or connected process involving a common raw material; and,(C) Are located on one or more contiguous or adjacent properties.(22) "First attempt at repair" means actions to attempt to repair a leak that do not require the disconnection of the component, replacement of parts, or the use of a specialized crew or equipment (e.g., tightening, lubrication, or adjustment).(23) "Fitting" means a component, excluding flanges and threaded connectors, used to attach or connect pipes or piping systems. Examples of "fittings" include quick-disconnect fittings, push-in fittings, and cam-locks.(24) "Flash or flashing" means a process during which gas dissolved in crude oil, condensate, or produced water under pressure is released when the liquids are subject to a decrease in pressure, such as when the liquids are transferred from an underground reservoir to the earth's surface or from a pressure vessel to an atmospheric tank.(25) "Flash analysis testing" means the determination of emissions from crude oil, condensate, and produced water by using sampling and laboratory procedures used for measuring the volume and composition of gases released from the liquids, including the molecular weight, the weight percent of individual compounds, and a gas-oil or gas-water ratio.(26) "Fuel gas system" means, for the purposes of this subarticle, any system that supplies natural gas as a fuel source to on-site natural gas powered equipment other than a vapor control device.(27) "Gas blanket system" means a gas phase maintained above a liquid in a tank where the tank is maintained under a positive pressure.(28) "Gas disposal well" means, for the purpose of this subarticle, any well that is used for the subsurface injection of natural gas for disposal.(29) "Gauge tank" means a tank found upstream of a separator and tank system which is used for measuring the amount of liquid produced by an oil well and receives or stores crude oil, condensate, or produced water.(30) "Idle well" means any well that for a period of 24 consecutive months has not either produced oil or natural gas, produced water to be used in production stimulation, or been used for enhanced oil recovery, reservoir pressure management, or injection. An idle well does not include an active observation well. An idle well continues to be an idle well until one of the following occurs:(A) The well has been properly abandoned in accordance with Public Resources Code Section 3208; or(B) Since the well became an idle well, the well has for a continuous six-month period either maintained production of oil or natural gas, maintained production of water used in production stimulation, or been used for enhanced oil recovery, reservoir pressure management, or injection.(31) "Inaccessible component" means any component located over fifteen feet above ground when access is required from the ground; or any component located over six (6) feet away from a platform or a permanent support surface when access is required from the platform.(32) "Intermittent bleed" means the intermittent venting of natural gas from a gas powered pneumatic controller to the atmosphere. Intermittent bleed pneumatic controllers may vent all or a portion of their supply gas when control action is necessary but do not vent continuously.(33) "Leak or fugitive leak" means the unintentional release of emissions at a rate greater than or equal to the leak thresholds specified in this subarticle.(34) "Leak detection and repair or LDAR" means the inspection of components to detect leaks of total hydrocarbons and the repair of components with leaks above the standards specified in this subarticle and within the timeframes specified in this subarticle.(35) "Liquids unloading" means an activity conducted with the use of pressurized natural gas to remove liquids that accumulate at the bottom of a natural gas well and obstruct gas flow.(36) "Natural gas" means a naturally occurring mixture or process derivative of hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon gases. Its constituents include the greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide, as well as heavier hydrocarbons. Natural gas may be field quality (which varies widely) or pipeline quality.(37) "Natural gas gathering and boosting station" means all equipment and components located within a facility fence line associated with collecting natural gas from multiple wells and moving it toward a natural gas processing plant, transmission pipeline, or distribution pipeline.(38) "Natural gas processing plant" means a plant used for the separation of natural gas liquids (NGLs) or non-methane gases from produced natural gas, or the separation of NGLs into one or more component mixtures.(39) "Natural gas transmission compressor station" means all equipment and components located within a facility fence line associated with moving natural gas from production fields or natural gas processing plants through natural gas transmission pipelines, or within natural gas underground storage fields.(40) "Natural gas transmission pipeline" means a state rate-regulated Intrastate pipeline, or a pipeline that falls under the "Hinshaw Exemption" as referenced in section 1(c) of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. sections 717 - 717z.(41) "Natural gas underground storage" means all equipment and components associated with the temporary subsurface storage of natural gas in depleted crude oil or natural gas reservoirs or salt dome caverns. Natural gas storage does not include gas disposal wells.(42) "Non-associated gas" means natural gas that is not produced as a byproduct of crude oil production but may or may not be produced with condensate.(43) "Offshore" means all marine waters located within the boundaries of the State of California.(44) "Onshore" means all lands located within the boundaries of the State of California.(45) "Operator" means any entity, including an owner or contractor, having operational control of components or equipment, including leased, contracted, or rented components and equipment to which this subarticle applies.(46) "Optical gas imaging" means an instrument that makes emissions visible that may otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.(47) "Owner" means the entity that owns or operates components or equipment to which this subarticle applies.(48) "Photo-ionization detector or PID instrument" means a gas detection device that utilizes ultra-violet light to ionize gas molecules and is commonly employed in the detection of non-methane volatile organic compounds.(49) "Pneumatic controller" means an instrument used to maintain a process condition such as liquid level, pressure, pressure differential, and temperature.(50) "Pneumatic pump" means a device that uses natural gas or compressed air to power a piston or diaphragm in order to circulate or pump liquids.(51) "Pond" means an excavation that is used for the routine storage or disposal of produced water and which is not used for crude oil separation or processing.(52) "Portable equipment" means equipment designed for, and capable of, being carried or moved from one location to another and which it resides for less than 365 days. Portability indicators include the presence of wheels, skids, carrying handles, dolly, trailer, or platform.(53) "Portable pressurized separator" means a pressure vessel that can be moved from one location to another by attachment to a motor vehicle without having to be dismantled and is capable of separating and sampling crude oil, condensate, or produced water at the temperature and pressure of the separator required for sampling.(54) "Portable tank" means a tank that can be moved from one location to another by attachment to a motor vehicle without having to be dismantled.(55) "Pressure separator" means a pressure vessel used for the primary purpose of separating crude oil and produced water or for separating natural gas and produced water.(56) "Pressure vessel" means any hollow container used to hold gas or liquid and rated, as indicated by an ASME pressure rating stamp, and operated to contain normal working pressures of at least 15 psig without continuous vapor loss to the atmosphere.(57) "Production" means all activities associated with the production or recovery of emulsion, crude oil, condensate, produced water, or natural gas at facilities to which this subarticle applies.(58) "Produced water" means water recovered from an underground reservoir as a result of crude oil, condensate, or natural gas production and which may be recycled, disposed, or re-injected into an underground reservoir.(59) "Reciprocating natural gas compressor" means equipment that increases the pressure of natural gas by positive displacement of a piston in a compression cylinder and is powered by an internal combustion engine or electric motor with a horsepower rating supplied by the manufacturer.(60) "Reciprocating natural gas compressor rod packing" means a seal comprising of a series of flexible rings in machined metal cups that fit around the reciprocating compressor piston rod to create a seal limiting the amount of compressed natural gas that vents into the atmosphere.(61) "Reciprocating natural gas compressor seal" means any device or mechanism used to limit the amount of natural gas that vents from a compression cylinder into the atmosphere.(62) "Remote monitoring data" means, for the purposes of this subarticle, data obtained by CARB from a satellite-based measurement technology capable of detecting methane plumes.(63) "Sales gas system" means, for the purposes of this subarticle, any system that collects and transfers natural gas to be used off-site.(64) "Separator" means any tank or pressure separator used for the primary purpose of separating crude oil, produced water, and natural gas or for separating natural gas, condensate, and produced water. In crude oil production a separator may be referred to as a Wash Tank or as a three-phase separator.(65) "Separator and tank system" means the first separator in a crude oil or natural gas production system and any tank or sump connected directly to the first separator.(66) "Standard conditions" means a temperature of 60°F and a pressure of 14.696 psia for the purposes of calculating emissions in standard cubic feet.(67) "Successful repair" means tightening, adjusting, or replacing equipment or a component for the purpose of stopping or reducing fugitive leaks below the minimum leak threshold or emission flow rate standard specified in this subarticle. A repair shall be deemed "successful" once it is shown, via remeasurement using the applicable technique, as specified in this subarticle, for the equipment or component, that the leak in question has been stopped or reduced below the minimum leak threshold or emission flow rate as specified in this subarticle.(68) "Sump" means a lined or unlined surface impoundment or excavated depression in the ground which, during normal operations, is used to separate, store, or hold emulsion, crude oil, condensate, or produced water.(69) "Tank" means any container constructed primarily of non-earthen materials used for the purpose of storing, holding, or separating emulsion, crude oil, condensate, or produced water and that is designed to operate below 15 psig normal operating pressure.(70) "Unsafe-to-Monitor Components" means components installed at locations that would prevent the safe inspection or repair of components as defined by U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards or in provisions for worker safety found in 29 CFR Part 1910.(71) "Vapor collection system" means equipment and components installed on pressure vessels, separators, tanks, or sumps including piping, connections, and flow-inducing devices used to collect and route emission vapors to a processing, sales gas, or fuel gas system; to a gas disposal well; or to a vapor control device.(72) "Vapor control device" means destructive or non-destructive equipment used to control emissions.(73) "Vapor control efficiency" means the ability of a vapor control device to control emissions, expressed as a percentage, which can be determined by following the requirements in Appendix F.(74) "Vent or venting" means the intentional or automatic release of natural gas into the atmosphere from components, equipment, or activities described in this subarticle.(75) "Well" means a boring in the earth for the purpose of the following:(A) Exploring for or producing oil or gas.(B) Injecting fluids or gas for stimulating oil or gas recovery.(C) Re-pressuring or pressure maintenance of oil or gas reservoirs.(D) Disposing of oil field waste gas or liquids.(E) Injection or withdraw of gas from an underground storage facility. For the purpose of this subarticle, wells do not include active observation wells as defined in Public Resources Code Section 3008 subdivision (c), or wells that have been properly abandoned in accordance with Public Resources Code Section 3208.
(76) "Wellhead" means the piping, casing, tubing and connected valves protruding above the earth's surface for an oil or natural gas well. The wellhead ends where the flow line connects to a wellhead valve. The wellhead does not include other equipment at the well site except for any conveyance through which gas is vented to the atmosphere.(77) "Well casing vent" means an opening on a well head that blocks or allows natural gas to flow to the atmosphere or to a vapor collection system.(78) "Well stimulation treatment" means the treatment of a well designed to enhance crude oil and natural gas production or recovery by increasing the permeability of the formation and as further defined by the Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) SB 4 Well Stimulation Treatment Regulations, Title 14, Division 2, Chapter 4, Subchapter 2, Article 2, section 1761(a) (June 16, 2017), which is incorporated herein by reference.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 17, § 95667
Note: Authority cited: Sections 38510, 38562, 39600, 39601 and 41511, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 38551, 38560, 38566, 39600 and 41511, Health and Safety Code.
Note: Authority cited: Sections 38510, 38562, 39600, 39601 and 41511, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 38551, 38560, 39600 and 41511, Health and Safety Code.
1. New section and Appendices A, B and C filed 7-17-2017; operative 10/1/2017 (Register 2017, No. 29).
2. Amendment of section and Note filed 3-4-2024; operative 4/1/2024 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2024, No. 10).