How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the standards for my gas well affected facility, my centrifugal compressor affected facility, my reciprocating compressor affected facility, my pneumatic controller affected facility, my storage vessel affected facility, and my equipment leaks and sweetening unit affected facilities at onshore natural gas processing plants?
40 C.F.R. § 60.5410
in effectYou must determine initial compliance with the standards for each affected facility using the requirements in paragraphs (a) through (i) of this section. The initial compliance period begins on October 15, 2012, or upon initial startup, whichever is later, and ends no later than one year after the initial startup date for your affected facility or no later than one year after October 15, 2012. The initial compliance period may be less than one full year.
(a) To achieve initial compliance with the standards for each well completion operation conducted at your gas well affected facility you must comply with paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(4) of this section.
(1) You must submit the notification required in § 60.5420(a)(2).
(2) You must submit the initial annual report for your well affected facility as required in § 60.5420(b).
(3) You must maintain a log of records as specified in § 60.5420(c)(1)(i) through (iv) for each well completion operation conducted during the initial compliance period.
(4) For each gas well affected facility subject to both § 60.5375(a)(1) and (3), as an alternative to retaining the records specified in § 60.5420(c)(1)(i) through (iv), you may maintain records of one or more digital photographs with the date the photograph was taken and the latitude and longitude of the well site imbedded within or stored with the digital file showing the equipment for storing or re-injecting recovered liquid, equipment for routing recovered gas to the gas flow line and the completion combustion device (if applicable) connected to and operating at each gas well completion operation that occurred during the initial compliance period. As an alternative to imbedded latitude and longitude within the digital photograph, the digital photograph may consist of a photograph of the equipment connected and operating at each well completion operation with a photograph of a separately operating GIS device within the same digital picture, provided the latitude and longitude output of the GIS unit can be clearly read in the digital photograph.
(b)(1) To achieve initial compliance with standards for your centrifugal compressor affected facility you must reduce VOC emissions from each centrifugal compressor wet seal fluid degassing system by 95.0 percent or greater as required by § 60.5380 and as demonstrated by the requirements of § 60.5413.
(2) If you use a control device to reduce emissions, you must equip the wet seal fluid degassing system with a cover that meets the requirements of § 60.5411(b) that is connected through a closed vent system that meets the requirements of § 60.5411(a) and is routed to a control device that meets the conditions specified in § 60.5412(a), (b) and (c). As an alternative to routing the closed vent system to a control device, you may route the closed vent system to a process.
(3) You must conduct an initial performance test as required in § 60.5413 within 180 days after initial startup or by October 15, 2012, whichever is later, and you must comply with the continuous compliance requirements in § 60.5415(b)(1) through (3).
(4) You must conduct the initial inspections required in § 60.5416(a) and (b).
(5) You must install and operate the continuous parameter monitoring systems in accordance with § 60.5417(a) through (g), as applicable.
(6) [Reserved]
(7) You must submit the initial annual report for your centrifugal compressor affected facility as required in § 60.5420(b)(3) for each centrifugal compressor affected facility.
(8) You must maintain the records as specified in § 60.5420(c)(2).
(c) To achieve initial compliance with the standards for each reciprocating compressor affected facility you must comply with paragraphs (c)(1) through (4) of this section.
(1) If complying with § 60.5385(a)(1) or (2), during the initial compliance period, you must continuously monitor the number of hours of operation or track the number of months since the last rod packing replacement.
(2) If complying with § 60.5385(a)(3), you must operate the rod packing emissions collection system under negative pressure and route emissions to a process through a closed vent system that meets the requirements of § 60.5411(a).
(3) You must submit the initial annual report for your reciprocating compressor as required in § 60.5420(b).
(4) You must maintain the records as specified in § 60.5420(c)(3) for each reciprocating compressor affected facility.
(d) To achieve initial compliance with emission standards for your pneumatic controller affected facility you must comply with the requirements specified in paragraphs (d)(1) through (6) of this section, as applicable.
(1) You must demonstrate initial compliance by maintaining records as specified in § 60.5420(c)(4)(ii) of your determination that the use of a pneumatic controller affected facility with a bleed rate greater than 6 standard cubic feet of gas per hour is required as specified in § 60.5390(a).
(2) You own or operate a pneumatic controller affected facility located at a natural gas processing plant and your pneumatic controller is driven by a gas other than natural gas and therefore emits zero natural gas.
(3) You own or operate a pneumatic controller affected facility located between the wellhead and a natural gas processing plant and the manufacturer's design specifications indicate that the controller emits less than or equal to 6 standard cubic feet of gas per hour.
(4) You must tag each new pneumatic controller affected facility according to the requirements of § 60.5390(b)(2) or (c)(2).
(5) You must include the information in paragraph (d)(1) of this section and a listing of the pneumatic controller affected facilities specified in paragraphs (d)(2) and (3) of this section in the initial annual report submitted for your pneumatic controller affected facilities constructed, modified or reconstructed during the period covered by the annual report according to the requirements of § 60.5420(b).
(6) You must maintain the records as specified in § 60.5420(c)(4) for each pneumatic controller affected facility.
(e) [Reserved]
(f) For affected facilities at onshore natural gas processing plants, initial compliance with the VOC requirements is demonstrated if you are in compliance with the requirements of § 60.5400.
(g) For sweetening unit affected facilities at onshore natural gas processing plants, initial compliance is demonstrated according to paragraphs (g)(1) through (3) of this section.
(1) To determine compliance with the standards for SO2 specified in § 60.5405(a), during the initial performance test as required by § 60.8, the minimum required sulfur dioxide emission reduction efficiency (Zi) is compared to the emission reduction efficiency (R) achieved by the sulfur recovery technology as specified in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section.
(i) If R ≥ Zi, your affected facility is in compliance.
(ii) If R < Zi, your affected facility is not in compliance.
(2) The emission reduction efficiency (R) achieved by the sulfur reduction technology must be determined using the procedures in § 60.5406(c)(1).
(3) You have submitted the results of paragraphs (g)(1) and (2) of this section in the initial annual report submitted for your sweetening unit affected facilities at onshore natural gas processing plants.
(h) For each storage vessel affected facility, you must comply with paragraphs (h)(1) through (5) of this section. For a Group 1 storage vessel affected facility, you must demonstrate initial compliance by April 15, 2015, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (i) of this section. For a Group 2 storage vessel affected facility, you must demonstrate initial compliance by April 15, 2014, or within 60 days after startup, whichever is later.
(1) You must determine the potential VOC emission rate as specified in § 60.5365(e).
(2) You must reduce VOC emissions in accordance with § 60.5395(d).
(3) If you use a control device to reduce emissions, or if you route emissions to a process, you must demonstrate initial compliance by meeting the requirements in § 60.5395(e).
(4) You must submit the information required for your storage vessel affected facility as specified in § 60.5420(b).
(5) You must maintain the records required for your storage vessel affected facility, as specified in § 60.5420(c)(5) through (8) and § 60.5420(c)(12) and (13) for each storage vessel affected facility.
(i) For each Group 1 storage vessel affected facility, you must submit the notification specified in § 60.5395(b)(2) with the initial annual report specified in § 60.5420(b)(6).
Source: ecfr_bulkFetched: 7/26/2026
Source: eCFR APIURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-40.xml?part=60Fetched: 5/31/2026