Petroleum Refinery Flaring Reductions Achieved in the Bay Area Air Quality Management District

摘要

This paper presents a discussion of the progress towards minimizing petroleum refinery flaring within the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (District). Emissions from flaring at petroleum refineries have been an ongoing concern to the Air District and residents of the communities in the neighborhoods surrounding the Bay Area refineries. Because flares are first and foremost a safety device that must be available for use in emergencies to prevent accident, hazard or release of refinery gas directly to the atmosphere, development of an appropriate regulatory mechanism to address flaring emissions has been a challenge. Through a broad participatory process involving Air District staff, refinery representatives, community representatives, representatives of local, state and federal public agencies, and other members of the interested public, the District has adopted a regulation that has reduced flaring emissions while providing refineries with flexibility to reduce flaring emissions from their unique flare systems without compromising the safety of workers and the public, or the refineries. Each refinery was required to develop a Flare Minimization Plan (FMP) that implements all feasible measures available to reduce the frequency and magnitude of flaring. The FMP had to include prevention measures that addressed flaring as a result of planned major maintenance; vent gas quality or quantity; and recurrent failure of air pollution control equipment, process equipment, or processes. The District established a process to review and approve the FMPs that included substantial input from the public through a public comment period and final approval of an FMP occurred only after a determination that all feasible flaring prevention measures have been implemented or scheduled for expeditious implementation. All flaring minimization commitments under these plans are enforceable regulatory requirements. Implementation of these plans has resulted in significant reductions in emissions. Emissions are currently estimated at 1.0 tons per day of total organic compounds and 0.65 tons per day of sulfur dioxide, on an annual average basis.