Industrial facilities such as refineries and oil processing plants can be sources of smog-causing chemicals, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxides of nitrogen and sulfur (NOx and SOx), as well as substances adversely affecting human health, for example aromatic hydrocarbons and formaldehyde. An accurate assessment of emissions from these facilities is crucial for attaining EPA's air quality standards and for protecting public health. Traditionally, the amount of air pollutants released from these facilities is estimated using empirical calculations, however, recent advances in methodology have allowed for direct flux measurements emissions from refineries (e.g. Mellqvist el al., 2010; SCAQMD, 2017a; SCAQMD 2017b). Such recent studies indicate empirical emission inventories for many pollutants, particularly VOCs, are largely underestimated. However, the "snapshot" nature of these field studies does not provide any insight into variability of emissions on a longer time-scale. As a result, the uncertainty associated with calculating yearly emissions from direct flux measurements is large. To address this gap in knowledge, routine direct flux measurements on a multi-year time scale are needed.
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