Document 0qnwQn83Gnr9gE10gqD4nn77d

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Region 6 1201 Elm Street, Suite 500 Dallas, Texas 75270 April 20, 2020 JoDell Mizoue, P.E. Environmental Manager WPX Energy Permian, LLC 1001 17th Street, Suite 1200 Denver, Colorado 80202 Sent via email: Jodell.Mizoue@wpxenergy.com Re: Clean Air Act Notification of Violations Dear Ms. Mizoue: The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6 ("EPA") has identified WPX Energy Permian, LLC ("WPX") as having violated the Clean Air Act ("CAA") and the regulations promulgated thereunder. This Notice of Violation ("Notice") is issued to WPX for violations of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq., at the energy extraction facilities listed in the summary table in the Enclosure (the "Facilities"). Specifically, WPX1 has violated the conditions of the Texas State Permits listed in the Enclosure. This Notice is issued pursuant to Section 113(a)(1) of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. 7413(a)(1), which requires the Administrator of the EPA to notify any person in violation of a State Implementation Plan or permit of the violation(s). The authority to issue this Notice has been delegated to the Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, EPA Region 6. EPA contracted helicopter flyovers for a portion of the Permian Basin during September 10, 2019, through October 3, 2019, to assess emission sources using Optical Gas Imaging ("OGI") technology. On November 26, 2019, EPA sent a letter informing WPX of potentially unauthorized emissions from facilities that EPA believed were owned/operated by WPX, along with an enclosed disk of OGI video captures for the facilities. For each facility, EPA asked WPX to verify ownership, provide current site-specific permit information, and take any necessary corrective action to address unauthorized hydrocarbon emissions. EPA considered information provided by WPX to determine whether violations occurred at the facilities. CAA Violations 1 Please be advised that some companies may qualify as a "small business" under the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement and Fairness Act ("SBREFA"). The U.S. Small Business Administration has established a Table of Small Business Size Standards, which can be found at: http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/Size_Standards_Table.pdf. The SBREFA Information Sheet provides information on compliance assistance to entities that may qualify as small businesses as well as to inform them of their right to comment to the SBREFA Ombudsman concerning EPA enforcement activities. The SBREFA Information Sheet can be found at: http://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/P100BYAV.PDF?Dockey=P100BYAV.PDF. EPA Notice of Violation Flyover of Permian Basin Energy Extraction Facilities Page 2 We are sending this letter to inform you of the following violations of Texas's federally approved State Implementation Plan ("SIP") at WPX's Facilities: 1. Failure to comply with general requirements located at 30 Tex. Admin. Code 106.4(c), 106.6(b) and (c); and the TCEQ Non-Rule Standard Permit for Oil and Gas Facilities (e)(1); 2. Unlit or improperly operated flares in violation of specific requirements under 30 Tex. Admin. Code 106.352(l)(1), 106.492(1)(B); and the TCEQ Non-Rule Standard Permit for Oil and Gas Facilities (e)(11); 3. Tanks with unauthorized emissions in violation of requirements under TCEQ Non-Rule Standard Permit for Oil and Gas Facilities (e)(5) and (e)(6); and 4. Failure to comply with requirements for New Source Review permits located at 30 Tex. Admin. Code 116.115(b)(2)(G) and (c). Please review the information we have provided in the Enclosure. Opportunity to Confer This Notice provides you with the opportunity to confer with EPA. We request WPX contact Arati Tripathi, Assistant Regional Counsel, at tripathi.arati@epa.gov or 214-665-7404 within ten (10) business days to discuss this pending matter. Sincerely, Cheryl T. Seager, Director Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Enclosure ec: Michael Miller, TCEQ (michael.miller@tceq.texas.gov) Attachment A WPX Energy Permian LLC Site Identity LAT LONG TCEQ Rregulated Entity No. Permit Number Permit Date Lindsay 10-15 14H 15H 16H 20H 31.978107 -103.750703 RN109642306 145072 12/7/2018 Permit Type NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] Flyover Date Flyover Video ID EPA Team Observations of Flyover Video Capture 9/19/19 G6m143 Tank hatch leak Lindsay 10-3H 10-2H 10-3 1H, 1SL, 2H, 31.975681 3H, & 4H Facility -103.751596 RN110063617 149589 1/7/2019 Lindsay 9 Tank Battery 31.971034 -103.754916 RN109744565 146307 7/16/2018 NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/19/19 G6m144 Tank hatch leak NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/19/19 G6m145 Tank hatch leak Stateline 5 CS 31.899365 -103.847816 RN110389921 155751 9/20/2019 NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/20/19 G6m157 Tank hatch leak Pecos 46-3H 4H 31.89653 -103.842901 RN109418079 150854 5/18/2018 NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/20/19 G6m158 Tank hatch leak CBR 10 3H 31.984713 -103.851544 Wendy 18-1H Production Facility 31.596042 -103.759285 Louis State 24-1H 24-2H Production 31.578416 Facility -103.755222 RN109269027 RN110134988 RN109837724 141578 8/25/2016 150272 2/21/2018 148849 11/3/2017 PBR 106.352(I) [Eff 2012-11-22]; 106.359 [Eff 2013-7-26] 9/23/19 G6m166 Tank hatch leak PBR 106.512 [Eff 2001-06-13]; 106.492 [Eff 2000-09-04]; 106.352(I) [Eff 2012-11-22]; 106.359 [Eff 2013-7-26] 9/16/19 G9m110 Two tank hatch leaks while truck loading is taking place. NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/20/19 G9m160 Tank hatch leak Mac Production Facility 31.591663 -103.691302 CBR 32-29 331H 332H 333H Production Facility 31.911338 -103.884911 Red Bluff 13 3H 31.97016 -103.9166 Red Bluff 13 7H 8H 9H 10H 11H 12H 31.968554 13H 3SL -103.918045 CBR 18-19 6H 7H 8H & 9H Production 31.974648 Facility -103.896933 Lindsay 10-15 403H 404H 415H 416H 31.959591 425H & 426H -103.74163 Phoenix State 10-2H Production Facility 31.617536 -103.705392 Stateline 2 CS 31.973885 -103.867198 RN109773762 03986 146663 6/11/2019 11/14/2018 GOP-514 [Eff 2017-07]; NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/20/19 G9m164 Tank hatch leak. RN110737376 156111 4/10/2019 RN109332411 142179 2/25/2019 RN109756668 146464 7/16/2018 RN110656071 155394 2/5/2019 NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/25/2019 G5m198 PBR 106.512 [Eff 2001-06-13]; 106.492 [Eff 2000-09-04]; 106.352(I) [Eff 2012-11-22]; 106.359 [Eff 2013-7-26] 9/25/2019 G5m202 Improperly operating flare - The flare is showing inadequate combustion and hydrocarbon emissions are apparent. Pressure relief valve leak NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/25/2019 G5m203 Unlit flare - No heat signature is visible and a hydrocarbon plume is apparent from the flare. NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/25/19 G5m206 Multiple tank hatch leaks. RN110814829 157657 7/29/2019 NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/19/19 G6m141 Multiple tank hatch leaks. RN110681111 155661 2/18/2019 PBR 106.352(I) [Eff 2012-11-22]; 106.492 [Eff 2000-09-04]; 106.359 [Eff 2013-7-26] 9/20/19 G9m163 Unlit flare - No heat siganture is visible and a hydrocarbon plume is apparent from the flare. RN109425637 142800 1/16/2019 SITE NSR PERMIT 9/23/19 G6m167 Pressure relief valve leak CBR 9-4 1H 2H 13H 31.969108 -103.86671 RN110600467 154831 7/11/2019 NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/23/19 G6m168 Tank hatch leak Stateline 3 CS 31.968471 -103.862533 RN109466920 143834 6/28/2019 SITE NSR PERMIT 9/23/19 G6m169 Pressure relief valve leak CBR 22-27A-1H 2H 3H 31.955284 -103.848137 RN110496734 153644 10/3/2018 NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/23/19 G6m170 Tank hatch leak CBR 11-2 1H 332H 333H 334H 31.968276 -103.823999 CBR 14 2H 31.95607 -103.827576 CBR 28-7H 31.942085 -103.857336 RN110311578 155750 4/16/2019 RN109280180 141787 8/19/2019 RN109756478 146462 4/10/2018 NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/23/19 G6m171 Pressure relief valve and tank hatch leaks. PBR 106.512 [Eff 2001-06-13]; 106.492 [Eff 2000-09-04]; 106.352(I) [Eff 2012-11-22]; 106.359 [Eff 2013-7-26] 9/23/19 G6m172 Two Pressure relief valve leaks NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/23/19 G6m173 Pressure relief valve leak Pecos State 46-56T1-D Production 31.89744 Facility -103.853897 RN109642298 145071 8/5/2019 Monroe SWD & Water Treatment Facility 31.577768 -103.723929 RN110463817 152915 9/13/2018 NON-RULE STDPMT [Eff 2012-NOV-8] 9/23/19 G6m177 Pressure relief valve leak PBR 106.359 [Eff 2013-7-26]; 106.261 [Eff 2003-11-01]; 106.262 [Eff 2003-11-01]; 106.351 [Eff 2000-09-04]; 106.472 [Eff 2000-09-04]; 9/20/19 G9m162 Pressure relief valve leak