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    OTHER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
    Environmental Protection Agency

    The Environmental Protection Agency

    *** PUBLIC NOTICE ***

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

    Outer Continental Shelf Air Permit OCS-EPA-R4008-M2

    for BHP Billiton Petroleum, Inc.

    Public Comment Period: May 24 – June 24, 2013

    The United States Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on a draft Clean Air Act (CAA) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) air permit modification for BHP Billiton Petroleum, Inc. (BHPB), 1360 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 150, Houston, Texas 77056. EPA previously issued BHPB an OCS air quality permit on June 30, 2012, to regulate air emissions from a temporary, exploratory drilling operation in the Gulf of Mexico, and provided an opportunity for public comment on this permitting action between April 4 and May 7, 2012.

    The permitted project, which has not yet begun drilling, will use one of two deepwater exploratory drilling vessels and associated support fleet that BHPB proposes to operate within contiguous DeSoto Canyon OCS lease blocks in the Gulf of Mexico. The drilling area is located approximately 120-200 miles offshore the nearest Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida shorelines. The project will last for less than two years and does not include the establishment of any permanent production platforms.

    BHPB has requested their permit be amended to include revised best available control technology (BACT) limits for 8 engines on the Development Driller 1 (DD1) exploratory drilling vessel based on recent source test data that was not available at the time of permitting. The permit revision does not constitute a modification to the emission units or operation of the facility. EPA has completed review of BHPB’s air permit modification application and supplemental material and is soliciting comments on our proposed permit revision to the emission limits incorporated into Permit No. OCS-EPA-R4008-M2. In general, the revised particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and greenhouse gases limits are higher than those proposed in the original permit. EPA is also incorporating high and low load limits that are more reflective of the variable load operations of these engines when operating under the terms of the permit.

    EPA Region 4 is the agency responsible for implementing and enforcing CAA requirements for OCS sources in the Gulf of Mexico east of longitude 87.5º. Pursuant to section 328 of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. § 7627, and the air quality regulations applicable to OCS sources set forth in Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 55, an OCS source is required to obtain an air quality permit before beginning construction and an operating permit within 12 months of becoming an OCS source. Certain changes to such permits, such as those affecting emissions limits determined on a case-by-case basis, require public notice when modified. EPA has prepared a draft permit for public comment, as well as a preliminary determination/statement of basis document that explains the changes to the permit conditions. These documents are available on EPA Region 4’s website at http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ocspermits/ocspermits.html.

    To request a copy of these documents or to be added to our BHPB permit mailing list, please contact: Ms. Rosa Yarbrough, Permit Support Specialist at (404)562-9643 or yarbrough.rosa@epa.gov. For questions on the draft permit, please contact: Mr. Art Hofmeister at (404)562-9115 or hofmeister.art@epa.gov. Send comments on the draft permit and requests for a public hearing to: Art Hofmeister, EPA Region 4, APTMD, 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30303; Fax: (404)562-9066 Email: hofmeister.art@epa.gov, or submit comments electronically via www.regulations.gov, which can be accessed through the EPA Region 4 website listed above.

    Public Comments must be received by email, submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov, or postmarked by June 24, 2013. Public Hearing requests must be received by EPA by email or mail by June 10, 2013.

    Project Emissions: The maximum potential annual emissions in tons per year for each drillship and support vessels are summarized in the following table. The project is subject to Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) requirements that apply to temporary sources and is also subject to title V permitting requirements. BHPB must apply BACT, among other requirements, for emissions of NOX, CO, VOC, PM/PM10/PM2.5, and GHGs.

     

     

     

     

    Pollutant

     

     

    C.R. Luigs

    Potential to Emit,

    Tons per Year

    DD1 Existing

    Potential to Emit,

    Tons per Year

    (OCS-EPA-R4008-M1)

    DD1 Revised Potential to Emit,

    Tons per Year

    (OCS-EPA-R4008-M2)

     

     

     

    Significant Emission Rate, Tons per year

     

     

     

    PSD Review Required?

    PM

    66.02

    61.62

    77.28

    25

    Yes

    PM10

    41.15

    37.04

    72.44

    15

    Yes

    PM2.5

    40.16

    36.06

    72.26

    10

    Yes

    NOX1

    1699.60

    1309.61

    1309.61

    40

    Yes

    SO21

    0.91

    0.88

    0.88

    40

    No

    H2SO4

    0.03

    0.03

    0.03

    7

    No

    CO

    373.69

    310.64

    310.64

    100

    Yes

    VOC1

    81.61

    85.88

    110.48

    40

    Yes

    GHGs

    (CO2e)

    101,574.72

    97,953.30

    111,088.86

    75,000 (subject to

    regulation threshold)

    Yes

    Lead

    0.02

    0.02

    0.02

    0.60

    No

    1 NOX and VOC are the measured precursors for the criteria pollutant ozone. NOX & SO2 are precursors for PM2.5.

    Public Comments: Any interested person may submit written comments on the draft revisions to the permit during the public comment period. If you believe any changes to the permit are inappropriate, you must raise all reasonably ascertainable issues and submit all reasonably available arguments supporting your position by the end of the comment period. Any documents supporting your comments must be included in full and may not be incorporated by reference unless they are already part of the record for this permit or consist of state or federal statutes or regulations, EPA documents of general applicability, or other generally available reference materials.

    Comments should focus on the draft revisions to the air quality permit. If you have more general concerns regarding things such as leasing, non-air quality impacts, drilling safety, discharge, etc., these should be addressed during the leasing and approval proceedings of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which is the lead agency for offshore drilling.

    All comments on the draft revisions to the permit must be received by email, submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov, which can be accessed through the EPA Region 4 website listed above, or postmarked by June 24, 2013. An extension of the 30-day comment period may be granted if the request for an extension adequately demonstrates why additional time is required to prepare comments. Comments must be sent or delivered in writing to the address above. All comments will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available to the public, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes Confidential Business Information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Information that you consider Confidential Business Information or otherwise protected should be clearly identified as such and should not be submitted through email. If you send email directly to EPA, your email address will be captured automatically and included as part of the public comment. Please note that an email or postal address must be provided with your comments if you wish to receive direct notification of EPA’s final decision regarding the permit and responses to comments submitted during the public comment period. All timely comments on the permit revisions will be considered in making the final decision, included in the record, and responded to by EPA. Similar comments may be grouped together in our response, and EPA will not respond to individual commenters directly.

    Public Hearing: EPA has discretion to hold a public hearing if we determine there is significant public interest in the draft permit. Requests for a public hearing must be received by EPA by email or mail by June 10, 2013, and must state the nature of the issues proposed to be raised in the hearing. If a public hearing is held, you may submit oral or written comments on the proposed permit revisions at the hearing. You do not need to attend the public hearing to submit written comments. If there is significant public interest, EPA will hold a public hearing the week of June 24, 2013, at the location given on EPA’s website at:

    http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ocspermits/ocspermits.html, or you may call EPA at the contact number above. If no timely request for a public hearing is received, or EPA determines there is not significant interest, such an announcement will be posted on EPA’s website by June 12, 2013.

    Permit Documents: EPA’s draft permit revisions and preliminary determination/statement of basis; BHPB’s application and supporting documentation; and comments received from the public, other government agencies, and the applicant during the public comment period become part of the administrative record for the permit. All data submitted by the applicant is available as part of the administrative record. The administrative record is available through EPA’s website: http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ocspermits/ocspermits.html. The administrative record is also available at the EPA Region 4 office (please call in advance for available viewing times): 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30303; Phone: (404)562-9643.

    Final Determination: A final decision to revise the permit or to deny the application for the permit shall be made after all comments have been considered. Notice of the final decision shall be sent to each person who has submitted written comments or requested notice of the final permit decision, provided EPA has adequate contact information.

Document Information