Reduction in the Release of Volatile Organic Compounds (Storage and Loading of Volatile Petroleum Liquids) Regulations (SOR/2025-88)

Inspection of External Floating Roof

Marginal note:Monthly inspection

• 94 (1) The operator of a facility must ensure that the upper surface of each external floating roof at the facility is visually inspected at least once a month and no less than 14 days after the day on which the previous inspection was performed, for the defects referred to in paragraphs 100(5)(e) to (g).

• Marginal note:Inspection without delay

  (2) Despite subsection (1), if weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances cause safety concerns or access problems that render an inspection impracticable, the operator may delay the inspection but must perform it without delay once the circumstances permit and must not delay it by more than seven days.

Marginal note:Annual inspection

• 95 (1) The operator of a facility must ensure that the upper surface of each external floating roof at the facility is visually inspected annually – no less than 10 months after the day on which the previous inspection was performed – for the defects referred to in paragraphs 100(5)(a), (c) and (e) to (h) and must ensure that the secondary seal gaps are measured annually under the control conditions and in accordance with the procedure described in Schedule 4.

• Marginal note:No more than two metres

  (2) The inspection of an opening of the external floating roof deck, as part of the visual inspection referred to in subsection (1), must be performed from a distance of no more than two metres from the opening.

Marginal note:Inspection every five years

96 The operator of a facility must ensure that each external floating roof at the facility and the exposed part of the internal wall of the tank in which it is installed are inspected every five years and that the inspection includes

• (a) a measurement of the primary seal gaps under the control conditions and in accordance with the procedure described in Schedule 4, unless the rim seal is being replaced at the time of the inspection;

• (b) an inspection of the primary and secondary seals in which they are pulled back all around the internal wall and checked for their proper operation;

• (c) an inspection of the secondary seals for signs of buckling or indications that the angle with the internal wall is too shallow;

• (d) an inspection of all hatches, covers and other emissions control devices, including seals and internal floats, to locate tears, holes, corrosion, swelling, embrittlement or any other damage that would substantially reduce their emissions control efficacy;

• (e) an inspection of the exposed part of internal wall of the tank for grooving, corrosion, coating failures and out-of-roundness;

• (f) if applicable, an inspection of the automatic gauging guide of the tank and the lower sheave housing for signs of vapour leaks and liquid leaks;

• (g) an inspection of the wind girder for corrosion damage;

• (h) a visual inspection of the external floating roof for inadequate drainage;

• (i) if applicable, a test operation of the hatches to verify that they seal automatically after use;

• (j) if applicable, an inspection of all guide poles and gauge wells for thinning and signs of grooving or wear;

• (k) an inspection of the levelness of the external floating roof, at a minimum of three locations, in which the distance from the roof rim to a horizontal weld seam that is above the floating roof is measured;

• (l) an inspection of the emergency drains to ensure that the covers or sealing are adequate;

• (m) if applicable, an inspection of the inside the pontoons and a determination of the value of the LEL% inside of the pontoons to detect vapour leaks and liquid leaks;

• (n) an inspection of the upper deck of the external floating roof for paint failure and corrosion; and

• (o) if applicable, an inspection of the bolting bar on the rim-mounted secondary seals for corrosion and broken welds.

Marginal note:Measurement of seal gap

97 Within 60 days after the day on which a rim seal of an external floating roof is replaced, the operator must measure the seal gaps under the control conditions and in accordance with the procedure described in Schedule 4.

Marginal note:Inspector certificate

98 The operator must ensure that all inspections referred to in subsection 93(1) and section 96 are performed by a person who holds a valid API 653 - Aboveground Storage Tank Inspector certificate issued by the American Petroleum Institute.

Other Requirements

Marginal note:Reduced inspection intervals

99 If design specifications or inspection findings indicate that the estimated life expectancy of any component of an internal floating roof or external floating roof is shorter than the inspection interval specified in subsection 93(1) or section 96, as the case may be, the interval between inspections in respect of the component must be reduced to match its estimated life expectancy.

Repair

Marginal note:Repair — tank in service

• 100 (1) Subject to subsections (2), (3) and 101(1) to (4), if a defect referred to in subsection (5) is detected when a tank is in service at a facility, the operator of the facility must take one of the following measures:

  • (a) in the case of a defect of a tank, internal floating roof or external floating roof, the operator must, within 60 days after the day on which the defect is detected,

    • (i) remove the tank from service, or

    • (ii) repair the defect and perform any tests or inspections necessary to confirm that the repair is successful; or

  • (b) in the case of a defect of an internal floating roof or the tank in which it is installed, the operator must equip the tank with a temporary vapour control system within 15 days after the day on which the defect is detected and repair the defect and perform any tests or inspections necessary to confirm that the repair is successful within 180 days after that day.

• Marginal note:Tank designated under subsection 125(1)

  (2) Subject to section 101(1), if a defect of a tank designated as a deferred application tank under subsection 125(1) can be repaired only when the tank is not in service, the repair may be delayed until the tank is removed from service.

• Marginal note:Defect to rim seal

  (3) In the case of a defect of a rim seal, the time limit for taking the measures referred to in subparagraph (1)(a)(ii) is extended to 90 days after the day on which the defect is detected if

  • (a) the cumulative total surface area of all seal gaps is less than 1000 cm² per m of the tank’s diameter; and

  • (b) within 30 days after the day on which the defect is detected, a person who holds a valid API 653 - Aboveground Storage Tank Inspector certificate issued by the American Petroleum Institute determines that the tank is free of any other detected defects that would prevent the repair of the rim seal while the tank is in service.

• Marginal note:Repair cannot be completed

  (4) If, after attempting a repair of a rim seal for the purposes of subsection (3), the operator determines that the defect of the rim seal cannot be repaired while the tank is in service, the operator must remove the tank from service within 45 days after the day on which the determination is made.

• Marginal note:Defects

  (5) An internal floating roof or external floating roof has a defect if

  • (a) the tank in which it is installed does not meet the requirements of section 37 such that the efficacy of the internal floating roof or external floating roof in controlling emissions could be reduced;

  • (b) it has a seal gap that exceeds the size requirements set out in subsections 65(2) and (3) and 74(2) and (3);

  • (c) its deck has an opening that does not meet the requirements of sections 66 and 75;

  • (d) in the case of an internal floating roof, the value of the LEL% in the space above it exceeds the applicable threshold set out in subsection 92(5) or (6);

  • (e) in the case of an external floating roof, it has inadequate drainage or an accumulation of snow, ice or debris that compromises its capacity to remain afloat on the surface of the liquid;

  • (f) volatile petroleum liquids are observed to be present on its upper surface more than once in a 12-month period or present over an area of more than 1 m²;

  • (g) it or the tank in which it is installed has a structural defect or obstruction that could impair the movement of the internal floating roof or the external floating roof; or

  • (h) it or the tank in which it is installed has any other defect that could reduce the efficacy of the internal floating roof or external floating roof in controlling emissions.

Marginal note:Major defects

• 101 (1) An operator must take the measures described in subsections (2) and (5) when any of the following defects are detected:

  • (a) an internal floating roof or external floating roof has sunk;

  • (b) the value of the LEL% in the space above an internal floating roof in a high benzene tank exceeds 20; or

  • (c) the value of the LEL% in the space above an internal floating roof in a tank, other than an inerted tank, exceeds 50.

• Marginal note:Measures

  (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4), if a defect referred to in subsection (1) is detected, the operator must, as soon as the circumstances permit, cease to load volatile petroleum liquids into the tank and either

  • (a) empty the tank of all volatile petroleum liquid; or

  • (b) use a temporary vapour control system to control emissions from the tank.

• Marginal note:Choice of measure

  (3) If the measures referred to in paragraphs (2)(a) and (b) can both be performed safely, the operator of a facility must choose the measure that can be completed the soonest.

• Marginal note:Additional measures

  (4) If the operator takes the measure referred to in paragraph (2)(b), the operator must, as soon as the circumstances permit, either repair the defect and perform any tests or inspections necessary to confirm that the repair is successful or empty the tank of all volatile petroleum liquid.

• Marginal note:Report

  (5) For the purposes of subsection (1), the operator must

  • (a) as soon as feasible after the defect is detected, submit a report to the Minister that contains the information referred to in Schedule 7;

  • (b) notify the Minister as soon as feasible of any change to the planned measures or expected timelines described in the report; and

  • (c) update the report and submit the update to the Minister within five days after the day on which the defect is repaired.

Marginal note:Defects — existing tanks

102 For the purposes of subsection 100(1), all defects detected during an inspection of an existing tank performed before the day on which these Regulations come into force are considered to have been detected one year after the day on which these Regulations come into force.

VOC Emissions Minimization Plan

Marginal note:Plan

• 103 (1) Before removing a tank – other than a high benzene tank – from service or replacing the primary seal of the internal floating roof or external floating roof of such a tank while it is in service, an operator must develop a VOC emissions minimization plan that includes the information referred to in Schedule 8 and must implement that plan during the removal or replacement.

• Marginal note:Measures — removal from service

  (2) In the case of the removal of a tank from service, the VOC emissions minimization plan must include at least one of the following measures:

  • (a) substitution, dilution or chemical decontamination of the liquid in the tank such that the liquid is no longer considered to be a volatile petroleum liquid;

  • (b) completion of the removal within 15 days after the tank’s internal floating roof or external floating roof is no longer floating on the surface of the liquid; or

  • (c) use of a temporary vapour control system under section 43.

• Marginal note:Record

  (3) The operator must record any deviations to the measures included in the plan and the date of completion of the plan.

Pressure-Vacuum Vent

Inspection

Marginal note:Pressure-vacuum vent

• 104 (1) The operator of a facility must ensure that each pressure-vacuum vent at the facility is inspected annually and no less than 10 months after the day on which the previous inspection was performed to ensure that it meets the requirements set out in paragraph 78(a).

• Marginal note:Five years

  (2) The operator must ensure that the pressure-vacuum vent is inspected every five years to ensure it meets the requirements set out in paragraphs 78(b) and (c).

Repair

Marginal note:Defect detected

• 105 (1) If a defect of a pressure-vacuum vent is detected while the tank on which it is installed is in service, the operator must ensure that the defect is repaired as soon as feasible and no later than 45 days after the day on which it was detected.

• Marginal note:Defects

  (2) A pressure-vacuum vent for which the requirements set out in section 78 have not been met is considered to have a defect.

Extended Repair Plan

Marginal note:Reasons

• 106 (1) The operator of a facility must develop an extended repair plan for a defect of a tank or its internal floating roof or external floating roof if an authorized official determines that the tank needs to be removed from service so that the defect may be repaired but the tank cannot, for one of the following reasons, be removed from service such that the repair can be completed within the applicable time limit set out in section 100:

  • (a) the tank’s removal from service would require a shutdown of some or all of the petroleum processing equipment at the facility;

  • (b) there are no options at the facility or elsewhere for the storage, processing, treatment or disposal of the contents of the tank; or

  • (c) there are significant risks to safety, human health or the environment associated with the tank’s removal from service that would be mitigated with additional repair time.

• Marginal note:Submission to Minister and content of plan

  (2) The extended repair plan must be submitted to the Minister at least 30 days before the applicable time limit set out in section 100 ends and must include the information referred to in Schedule 9.

• Marginal note:Clarifications or additional information

  (3) The Minister may, on receiving the extended repair plan, require that the operator provide any clarifications or additional information.

• Marginal note:Re-submission of plan

  (4) If, on receiving the extended repair plan, the Minister has reasonable grounds to believe that the date set out in the plan for the tank’s removal from service is later than warranted by the circumstances, the Minister may require that the operator resubmit the plan and change that date to a date specified by the Minister.

• Marginal note:Implementation

  (5) The operator must implement the extended repair plan beginning the day after the day on which the applicable time limit set out in section 100 ends and must remove the tank from service within the time limit set out in the extended repair plan.

• Marginal note:Reason referred to in paragraph (1)(b) or (c)

  (6) If an operator implements an extended repair plan for a reason referred to in paragraph (1)(b) or (c), the operator must cease filling the tank with any volatile petroleum liquids beginning on the day after the day on which the applicable time limit set out in section 100 ends.

• Marginal note:Update and notification

  (7) An operator that implements an extended repair plan must

  • (a) if there is a change to the information referred to in items 9 to 11 of Schedule 9, update and resubmit the extended repair plan to the Minister as soon as feasible before the change takes effect; and

  • (b) notify the Minister of the day on which the tank is removed from service within five days after that day.