Document 6RXXaV0z86gObgBKx34BjQbV6
00012. Docket No. CAA-08-2020-0008 was entered on August 13, 2020, and has not been terminated. Docket No. CAA-08-2019-00012 was entered on September 4, 2019, with Bruin E&P Partners, LLC. On June 2, 2021, Enerplus submitted notice that it purchased the entity Bruin E&P Partners, LLC. Enerplus became subject to the terms of the 2019 CAFO thereafter.
Additionally, Enerplus was previously subject to the conditions of a 2011 CAFO, CAA-08-2011-0021, which was terminated July 13, 2021.
Areas of Concern 1. The EPA detected hydrocarbon emissions from the storage tanks at the following well pads: x Henry Bad Gun West x Wetterhorn x Bross x Turtles/Butterflies
2. The EPA detected hydrocarbon emissions from an unlit flare at the following well pads: x Stewart x Igneous x Windom
3. The EPA detected unburned hydrocarbon (UBHC) emissions from operating utility flares at the following well pads: x Clouds West x Leviathan x Longs x Lizards
4. The EPA detected visible emissions from a flare at the following well pads: x Henry Bad Gun West x Metals North x Cats x Oklahoma x Music East x Duck/Hans x Bross x Elements East
See Table 1 below for more details regarding inspected locations and Tables 2 & 3 for inspection observation details for all pads. A log of images and videos captured during the inspections is provided in Appendix A.
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Igneous Henry Bad Gun West Metals North Voigt/Zane Cats Ethan Hall Oklahoma Windom
Lincoln Pyramid
Sneffels
J.M. Hall Music West Music East Duck/Hans Trees East Trees West Peppers Mountains Wetterhorn Clouds West
Bross
Sunshine
San Luis
Belford
Yale
Castle James Bugs Character Leviathan
Anderson Huron
Longs
Scoria 147-93-09C-04-22 Henry Bad Gun 8D-5-1-H
Zirconium
Voigt 32-34H, Zane 32-24H Persian Anna G baker 6B-30-2H TF FB 148-94-36D-25-2H Fort Berthold 148-94-36C-254H FB 148-94-36C-25-3H Fort Berthold 147-94-2A-111H Fort Berthold 147-94-2B-113H JM Hall 1-19H Harmony 148-93-18C-07-2H TF Music 148-93-18D-07-4H TF Hans 20-21-H Pine 148-94-12D-01-3H Oak 148-94-12C-01-1H Santaka 148-94-11C-2H-TF Denali 148-95-12D-01H-TF FB 148-95-13A-24-3H Nimbus 149-94-33D-28H, Cirrus, Alto, Haze, Vapor, Cumulus, Stratus, Fog, Lenticular Fort Berthold 148-95-23C-144H Fort Berthold 148-95-23D-141H Fort Berthold 148-95-24C-131H FB Belford 148-95-22D-1510B Fort Berthold 148-95-27B-345H FB 150-94-3B-10-1H
FB James 150-94-3B-10-13B Beetle 150-94-11C-12H
Honor 150-94-06B-18HTF
FB Leviathan 151-94-27A-3412T FB 151-94-26B-35-10H
Fort Berthold 151-94-26B-351H FB 151-94-26A-35-4H
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47.55746 47.55951
47.58974
47.58881 47.58631 47.58762 47.58746 47.58953
47.58777 47.58779
47.58892
47.63120 47.63230
47.63311 47.63100 47.64668 47.64698 47.64684 47.64684 47.64583 47.67479
47.61666
47.61877
47.62056
47.61591
47.61707
47.84630 47.84634 47.82322 47.84682 47.87516
47.87574 47.87595
47.87461
-102.54422 -102.55104
-102.56325
-102.55765 -102.57241 -102.58219 -102.58875 -102.60079
-102.60634 -102.61498
-102.62442
-102.58470 -102.58015
-102.57422 -102.56093 -102.59507 -102.60175 -102.61398 -102.71906 -102.72252 -102.71067
-102.75056
-102.74125
-102.73338
-102.76393
-102.77077
-102.70188 -102.69932 -102.68323 -102.76135 -102.68926
-102.68378 -102.68011
-102.66880
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10:45 10:55 12:11
12:29
Elements East Breakfast
Lizards Turtles/ Butterflies Turtle East
Fire, Water, Furlong
Waffle, Ham, Sausage, Bacon Komodo 151-94-17A-20H-TF Snapper 152-94-33C-28H
Leather back 152-94-33C-28H
47.89023
47.90847 47.90776 47.93611
47.93559
-102.71258
-102.72645 -102.73560 -102.73224
-102.716192
Observations and Regulatory Applicability Fort Berthold FIP and NSPS OOOOa regulations which are potentially relevant to the Areas of Concern observed during inspections are summarized in this section.
Tables 2 and 3 at the end of this report summarize inspection observations and findings. Table 2 summarizes storage tank observations. Table 3 includes details of control devices and related observations. See Appendix A for a log of images and videos taken during the inspections.
Fort Berthold FIP Applicability Based on drilling information reported to the NDIC well index by Enerplus, the facilities listed in Table 1 were completed after the August 12, 2007, applicability date (per 40 C.F.R. 49.4161) and are producing from the Bakken Pool (per 40 C.F.R 49.4163(a)(1)) and are thus subject to the Fort Berthold FIP.
Closed Vent System Equipment Requirements [ 49.4165(b)] Per 49.4165(b)(1), "Each closed-vent system must route all produced natural gas and natural gas emissions from production and storage operations to the natural gas sales pipeline or the control devices...". The EPA, using an OGI camera, detected natural gas emissions from production and storage tanks at four out of forty-seven well pads evaluated. See Area of Concern #1 above.
Utility Flare Requirements [ 49.4165(c)] Per 49.4165(c)(6)(vi), "The owner or operators must ensure that each enclosed combustor and utility flare is maintained in a leak-free condition." The EPA, using an OGI camera, detected emissions from an unlit flare at three out of forty-seven wells pads evaluated. See Area of Concern #2 above.
Per 49.4165(c)(1), "For each enclosed combustor or utility flare, the owner or operator must follow the manufacturer's written operating instructions, procedures and maintenance schedule to ensure good air pollution control practices for minimizing emissions." The EPA noted UBHC emissions indicating poor air pollution control practices from lit flares at four out of forty-seven well pads evaluated. See Area of Concern #3 above.
Per 49.4165(c)(6)(vii), "The owner or operator must ensure that each enclosed combustor and utility flare is operated with no visible smoke emissions." Per 49.4166(g)(3) and EPA Reference Method 22, the EPA noted black smoke emissions at eight out of forty-seven well pads evaluated. See Area of Concern #4 above.
NSPS OOOOa Applicability Based on Enerplus' NSPS OOOOa annual reporting, the EPA believes that storage vessels and associated emissions control equipment at 31 of the 47 oil and natural gas production facilities identified in Table 1 are potentially subject to requirements for storage vessel affected facilities in NSPS OOOOa:
x Anderson
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x Belford x Bierstadt x Breakfast x Bross x Bugs x Cats x Clouds West x Duck/Hans x Elements East x Ethan Hall x Igneous x James x Leviathan x Lincoln x Lizards x Longs x Marsupials East x Metals East x Metals North x Missouri x Oklahoma x Peppers x Pyramid x Snakes East x Sneffels x Stewart x Turtles East x Vermejo x Wetterhorn x Windom
Closed Vent System Equipment Requirements [ 60.5411a(c)] Per 60.5411a(c)(1), owners and operators must "Design the closed vent system to route all gases, vapors, and fumes emitted from the material in the storage vessel to a control device that meets the requirements specified in 60.5412(c) and (d), or to a process." The EPA, using an OGI camera, observed emissions from the closed vent systems at the Wetterhorn and Bross pads. See Area of Concern #1 above.
Control Device Requirements [ 60.5412a(d) and 60.5413a(e)] Per 60.5412a(d)(1)(ii), owners and operators must, for each combustion control device, "install and operate a continuous burning pilot flame." The EPA observed unlit pilot flames at the Stewart, Igneous, and Windom pads. See Area of Concern #2 above.
Per 60.5413(a)(e)(8), owners and operators must, "Operate each control device following the manufacturer's written operating instructions, procedures and maintenance schedules to ensure good air pollution control practices for minimizing emissions." The EPA noted UBHC emissions indicating poor
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air pollution control practices from lit flares at the Clouds West, Leviathan, Longs, and Lizards pads. See Area of Concern #3 above. Per 60.5412a(d)(1)(iii), owners and operators must, "Operate the combustion control device with no visible emissions, except for periods not to exceed a total of 1 minute during any 15-minute period." The EPA observed black smoke continuously for more than five minutes (per Method 22) at the Metals North, Cats, Oklahoma, Duck/Hans, Bross, and Elements East pads. See Area of Concern #4 above.
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Wetterhorn Pad 14
Clouds West Pad 11
Bross Pad
12
Sunshine Pad
12
San Luis Pad
14
Belford Pad
14
Yale Pad
12
Castle Pad
10
James Pad
12
Bugs Pad
6
Character Pad
22
Leviathan Pad
11
Anderson Pad
12
Huron Pad
14
Longs Pad
10
Elements East Pad 8
Breakfast Pad
6
Lizards Pad
4
Turtles/ Butterflies 30
Pad
Turtles East
7
Odor detected None Odor detected
None None Odor detected None None None None None None None None None None None None None
None
Continuous large plume of emissions venting from thief hatch. None Continuous large plume of emissions venting from top of tank, possibly tank 1465.
None None None None None None None None None None
None None None None None Continuous venting emissions from piping on top of the tank 998654. Inspectors observed a medium sized continuous plume. Due to wind, video may minimize extent of the leak. Another continuous emission point was observed by inspectors from a thief hatch near the middle of the tank battery. Enerplus employee Donald fixed the thief hatch leak while inspectors were on-site. Inspectors confirmed the thief hatch was no longer leaking. None
MOV_3393, MOV_3394 None MOV_3397, MOV_3398
None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None MOV_3429. MOV_3430
None
An Enerplus employee was notified of Bross Pad tank emissions at an adjacent pad and said that the tanks recently underwent maintenance due to issues maintaining proper tank levels.
Spoke to operator while onsite.
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Henry Bad 1 Gun West Pad
Metals
2
North Pad
Voigt/Zane 1 Pad Cats Pad 2
Ethan Hall 3 Pad
Oklahoma 1 Pad
Windom 2 Pad
Lincoln
1
Pad
Pyramid 3
Pad
HP
Yes
Yes
Yes
HP 2-prong, Yes, Yes,
LP 2-prong Yes
Yes
HP-LP
Yes
Yes
HP 2-prong, No,
No,
LP
Yes
Yes
HP 2-prong, Yes, Yes,
LP 2-prong, Yes, Yes,
LP 2-prong Yes
Yes
HP-LP
Yes
Yes
Yes
None Yes
None Yes
Air Assist, Yes, No,
HP-HC
Yes
No
None
HC-LP
Yes
Yes
Air Assist, Yes, Yes,
HP,
Yes, No,
HP-LP
Yes
Yes
None None
Continuous visible emissions for >5 minute per Method 22. Continuous visible emission from LP flare for >5 minute per Method 22. None
Continuous visible emissions from LP flare for >5 minute per Method 22. None
None None None None None
Downward Downward Downward Downward Downward
Continuous visible emissions from HPLP flare for >5 minute per Method 22. Observed emissions from unlit Air Assist flare (it was unlit at the time of the arrival), the OGI video shows when the pilot is lit. Trailing unburned hydrocarbon was observed after the flare lit. None
None MOV_3391, MOV_3392
None
Downward Downward
Downward
Flare operating
temperature was observed to be 441 F.
None
None
Downward
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Sneffels 2 Pad
JM Hall 1
Pad
Music
1
West Pad
Music East 1 Pad
Duck/Hans 2 Pad
Trees East 1
Pad
Trees West 1
Pad
Peppers
2
Pad
Mountains 2 Pad
Wetterhorn 1
Pad
Clouds
2
West Pad
Bross Pad 1
HC,
Yes, No,
Air Assist Yes
No
HC
Yes
Yes
LP
Yes
Yes
HC
Yes
Yes
HP 2-prong, Yes, Yes,
LP
Yes
Yes
LP
Yes
Yes
LP
Yes
Yes
HP 3-prong, Yes, No,
LP 2-prong Yes
Yes
HP-LP,
Yes, Yes,
HP 2-prong Yes
No
HP-LP
Yes
No
HP 3-prong, Yes, No,
LP 2-prong Yes
Yes
HP-LP
Yes
Yes
None None None Yes
Yes
None None None None None None Yes
None None None
None None
Downward Downward Downward
Continuous visible emissions from HC flare for >5 minute per Method 22. Continuous visible emissions from LP flare for >5 minute per Method 22.
None
None
None
DSCN0090. Upward JPG
Nikon image of pipe slope to flare. Hissing sound audible from flare.
Downward
Hissing sound audible from flare. Operating temperatures were 1300, 1500, and 1600 degrees Fahrenheit as observed on the flare control panels.
Downward
Downward
None
Downward
None
UBHC Trail from LP Flare
Continuous visible emissions from HPLP flare for >5 minute per Method 22.
MOV_3396
Downward
Odor detected
Flare was also "burping". The burning was not continuous and would decrease almost to a level of not flaring at all, and then the flame size would suddenly and dramatically increase.
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Sunshine 1 Pad
San Luis 1 Pad
Belford
2
Pad
Yale Pad 1 Castle Pad 1 James Pad 2
Bugs Pad 2
Character 1 Pad Leviathan 3 Pad
Anderson 2 Pad Huron Pad 1
Longs Pad 2
HP-LP HC-LP
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
HP 3-prong, Yes, Yes,
Air Assist No
No
HC-LP
Yes
No
HC
Yes
No
HP 2-prong, Yes, No,
Air Assist Yes
Yes
HP 3-prong, Yes, Yes,
LP 2-prong Yes
Yes
HC
Yes
Yes
Air Assist, Yes, No,
HC,
Yes, No,
HP 4-prong Yes
No
HP,
Yes, Yes,
Air Assist Yes
No
HP-LP
No
No
Air Assist, Yes, No,
HP 3-prong Yes
No
None None
None None
Downward
None
None
Downward
None None None
None None None
Downward Downward Downward
None None
None None
Downward Downward
None
None None None
Pilot is lit but not combusting. Puffs of unburned hydrocarbon was observed via OGI from HP 4-prong flare. The operating temperature was 1300F. None
MOV_3406, DC_3405, DC_3407, DC_3408
Downward Downward
None
UBHC emissions from air assist flare. Pilot was lit but no flame was visible, there was no heat signature, and the gas was not being combusted. There was no green light indicating proper operations. Alarm
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MOV_3413
Downward Downward
Inspectors shared the OGI findings with Enerplus employees on-site and Enerplus employees began troubleshooting at that time.
Elements 2 East Pad
Breakfast 3 Pad
Lizards
2
Pad
HP 2-prong, Yes, Yes,
Yes
LP 2-prong Yes
Yes
HP 2-prong, Yes, No,
HP 4-prong, Yes, No,
Air Assist Yes
No
LP,
Yes, No,
HP 2-prong Yes
No
None None
Turtles/
2
Butterflies
Pad
Turtles
3
East Pad
HC-LP, HC-LP
Yes, Yes,
Yes
Yes
LP 4-prong, Yes, Yes,
HP 3-prong, Yes, No,
HP 3-prong Yes
Yes
None None
lights were red. The pilot temperature was 850F.
Continuous smoking from a large flame (2~3 ft) for >5 minute per Method 22.
None
None None
Downward Downward
Continuous venting from HP flare tip. Pilot is lit but no flame is visible, no heat trail is visible on OGI camera. Small and continuous plume. None
MOV_3420 Downward Downward
None
Downward
LP flare had a large flame (5-6 ft), loud roaring operation. HP not flaring and/or was minimally flaring.
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DSCN0082.JPG DSCN0083.JPG DSCN0084.JPG DSCN0085.JPG DSCN0086.JPG DSCN0087.JPG DSCN0088.JPG DSCN0089.JPG DSCN0090.JPG DSCN0091.JPG DSCN0092.JPG DSCN0093.JPG DSCN0094.JPG DSCN0095.JPG DSCN0096.JPG MOV_3393.MP4 MOV_3394.MP4
DSCN0097.JPG MOV 3396.MP4 DSCN0098.JPG MOV_3397.MP4 MOV 3398.MP4 DSCN0099.JPG DSCN0100.JPG DSCN0101.JPG DSCN0102.JPG DSCN0103.JPG DC_3401.JPG DC 3402.JPG DC_3403.JPG DC_3404.JPG DC 3405.JPG MOV_3406.MP4
DC_3407.JPG
Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Tank Battery ID photo Tank Battery ID photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Slope of piping to flare Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Continuous large plume of emissions venting from a thief hatch on the top of the tank. Continuous large plume of emissions venting from a thief hatch on the top of the tank. Alternate view to MOV 3393. Entry Sign photo UBHC Trail from LP Flare Entry Sign photo Continuous large plume of emissions venting from top of tank, possibly tank 1465. Continuous large plume of emissions venting from top of tank, possibly tank 1465. Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Flares OGI video of flares. Pilot is lit on the HP 4-prong flare, but gas is not being combusted and puffs of UBHC were recorded. Flare control panel, displaying operating temperature.
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Lincoln Pad Pyramid Pad Pyramid Pad Pyramid Pad Sneffels Pad J.M. Hall Pad Music West Pad Music East Pad Music East Pad Duck/Hans Pad Trees East Pad Trees West Pad Peppers Pad Mountains Pad Wetterhorn Pad Wetterhorn Pad Wetterhorn Pad
Clouds West Clouds West Bross Pad Bross Pad Bross Pad Sunshine Pad San Luis Pad Belford Pad Yale Pad Castle Pad Castle Pad James Pad Bugs Pad Character Pad Leviathan Pad Leviathan Pad
Leviathan Pad
DC_3408.JPG DC_3409.JPG DC 3410.JPG DC_3411.JPG DC_3412.JPG MOV_3413.MP4
DC 3414.JPG DC_3417.JPG DC 3419.JPG MOV_3420.MP4
DC 3425.JPG MOV_3429.MP4
MOV_3430.MP4
DC_3431.JPG
Flare control panel, displaying the Steffes control panel label. Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Unburned hydrocarbon emissions from air assist flare. Pilot was lit but no flame was visible, there was no heat signature, and the gas was not being combusted. Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Entry Sign photo Continuous venting from HP flare tip. Pilot is lit but no flame is visible, no heat trail is visible on OGI camera. Small and continuous plume. Entry Sign photo Continuous venting emissions from piping on top of the tank 998654. Inspectors observed a medium sized continuous plume. Due to wind, video may minimize extent of the leak. Continuous venting emissions from a thief hatch on the top of the tank. This leak was fixed while on-site by an Enerplus operator. Inspectors confirmed the thief hatch was no longer leaking. Entry Sign photo
Leviathan Pad Leviathan Pad Anderson Pad Huron Pad Longs Pad Longs Pad
Elements East Pad Breakfast Pad Lizards Pad Lizards Pad
Turtles/Butterflies Pad Turtles/Butterflies Pad
Turtles/Butterflies Pad
Turtle East Pad
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