Reduction in the Release of Volatile Organic Compounds Regulations (Petroleum Sector) (SOR/2020-231)

1 The following definitions apply in this Schedule.

pegged

pegged, in respect of a reading on a portable monitoring instrument, means a reading indicating that the concentration of VOCs is above the highest concentration of VOCs that the instrument is capable of measuring. (arrimée)

screening value

screening value or SV means the measured concentration of VOCs, expressed in ppmv, that is determined in the course of the inspection of an equipment component using a portable monitoring instrument. (concentration mesurée ou CM)

2 For the purpose of subsection 40(1) of these Regulations, the estimated total quantity of VOCs, expressed in kilograms, that is released by a type of equipment component set out in Schedule 1 during the calendar year that is the subject of the annual report is calculated by adding together the estimated quantity of VOCs that is released by each component of that type in that year and that is determined in accordance with section 4.

• 3 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the hourly leak rate — expressed in kilograms per hour (kg/hr) — of an equipment component of a type set out in column 1 of the table to this Schedule is:

  • (a) if the screening value is zero, or if the inspection was carried out using an optical gas-imaging instrument and no leak was detected, the hourly default zero leak rate set out in column 2 for that type of equipment component;

  • (b) if the reading on the portable monitoring instrument is pegged or if no inspection was carried out, the hourly pegged leak rate set out in column 3 for that type of equipment component; and

  • (c) in any other case, the result of the correlation equation set out in column 4 for that type of equipment component.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3), the hourly leak rate of a minor assembly of a type set out in column 1 of the table to this Schedule is:

  • (a) if the screening value is zero, or if the inspection was carried out using an optical gas-imaging instrument and no leak was detected, the hourly default zero leak rate set out in column 2 for that type of minor assembly;

  • (b) if the reading on the portable monitoring instrument is pegged or if no inspection was carried out, the hourly pegged leak rate set out in column 3 for that type of minor assembly; and

  • (c) in any other case, the sum of the hourly leak rates of all of the equipment components of which the minor assembly is composed and for which the screening value is not zero, with each of those hourly leak rates calculated using the correlation equation set out in column 4 for the respective type of component.

• (3) The hourly leak rate of a heavy-liquid equipment component of a type set out in column 1 of the table to this Schedule is:

  • (a) if no leak was detected or a leak was detected and the heavy-liquid drop rate was less than three drops per minute, the hourly default zero leak rate set out in column 2 for that type of equipment component; and

  • (b) if a leak was detected and the heavy-liquid drop rate was equal to or greater than three drops per minute, or if no inspection was carried out, the hourly pegged leak rate set out in column 3 for that type of equipment component.

• (4) For the purpose of subsections (1) to (3),

  • (a) for an equipment component that is located in a process unit primarily engaged in activities classified under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 325 (Chemical Manufacturing) and that is of a type set out in one of items 1 to 12 of column 1 of the table to this Schedule, the corresponding hourly leak rate is the rate set out in column 2, 3 or 4, as applicable; and

  • (b) for an equipment component that is located in any other process unit and that is of a type set out in one of items 13 to 22 of column 1 of the table to this Schedule, the corresponding hourly leak rate is the rate set out in column 2, 3 or 4, as applicable.

4 The estimated quantity of VOCs, expressed in kilograms, that is released by an equipment component during the applicable calendar year is determined by adding together the hourly leak rates for that equipment component, as determined in accordance with section 5, for every hour in that calendar year.

• 5 (1) For the purpose of section 4, for every hour in the applicable calendar year, the hourly leak rate is the rate determined under section 3 that is based on the inspection carried out closest to that hour, whether that inspection took place in that calendar year or in the preceding or subsequent calendar year.

• (2) If the number of hours between the hour referred to in subsection (1) and the preceding inspection is the same as the number of hours between that hour and the subsequent inspection, the hourly leak rate is the rate based on the preceding inspection.

• (3) Despite subsection (1), if an inspection indicates that there is a significant leak in the equipment component, the hourly leak rate is determined on the basis of that inspection for every hour in the period beginning with the hour in which the inspection took place and ending with the hour before the hour in which the equipment component was repaired.