Strategies for improving HAP emission factors and profiles for the petroleum industry

This is the first in a series of annual papers reporting on the petroleum industry's overall program to improve their estimates of hazard air pollution (HAP) emissions. Baseline inventories of HAPs are required by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments ('90 CAAA), Title III, which also directs EPA to define open-quotes maximum achievable control technologyclose quotes (MACT) for major HAP sources. In response, the petroleum industry has embarked on a comprehensive program to develop accurate emission-factor and emission-profile (percent composition) data. In addition, this industry is cooperating with EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards in compiling emissions-related process information in support of EPA's MACT effort. HAP emission inventories are also required by SARA Title III and various state regulations. These will also benefit from the new data. Ultimately, these emissions data will be used for residual health risk assessments under the '90 CAAA and for risk assessments at the state and local level; therefore, there is a need for high resolution and accuracy in this work. This paper will present an overview of the petroleum industry's activities in improving their emissions-estimating techniques and will cover the following elements: storage tanks; combustion and process vent point sources; bulk liquid transfer operations; equipment (valves, pump ampersand compressor seals, etc.) leaks; wastewater systems. Programs; sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute (API), the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), and their member companies; covering exploration ampersand production, refineries, and marketing bulk terminals; are now underway. Their scope, status and available data will be summarized in this paper. Certain programs will be covered in greater detail by other papers in this session