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MMS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM: ONGOING STUDIES |
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MMS OCS Region: |
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Planning Area: |
Western and |
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Title: |
Year 2008 Gulfwide Emission Study (GM-07-x11) |
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Total Cost: $300,000 |
Period of Performance: FY 2007-2010 |
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Conducting Organization: |
Eastern Research Group, Inc. |
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MMS Contact: |
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Description: Background: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated more stringent National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and particulate matter (PM2.5) and has also proposed new regional haze regulations to improve visibility. The changes to these standards/regulations may require state agencies to perform air quality photochemical modeling for ozone and regional haze for use in their State Implementation Plans (SIPs). In order to conduct this modeling, emission inventories must be generated as inputs to the models. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) specifies that states are to prepare emission inventories every three years, starting in 1996. The collection and compilation of an air emissions inventory is one of the tasks that MMS conducts to assure coordination of air pollution control regulations between Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore sources and state’s sources onshore (as per Section 328(b) of the 1990 CAAA). Currently, the Gulf coast states air quality agencies
and central/southeast states regional planning organizations use the calendar
year 2000 MMS emission inventory for the offshore portion in air quality modeling
and SIP development. However, the year
2000 did not correspond to one of the onshore triennial periodic emissions inventory
years (e.g., year 2002). To correct this
discrepancy and to update the 2000 emission inventory, the 2005 emissions inventory
study was conducted. Because of the widespread
damage in the The proposed 2008 Gulfwide emissions inventory will
correspond with the next EPA onshore periodic emissions inventory. Due to the more stringent NAAQS, it is likely
that many of the regions adjacent to the |
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Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop a year 2008 air emissions inventory of OCS sources (platform and non-platform), including estimates of carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), hydrocarbons (VOC), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxides (N20). |
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Methods: A contractor will collect and compile emissions activity data from OCS facilities. Facilities include any installation (e.g., production platforms) or device having the potential to emit any air pollutant. The platform activity data will be collected using the MMS emissions activity software, GOADS. In addition, emissions from vessels used to support facilities (non-platform sources) will be collected using surveys. The contractor will quality control and assure all data collected. The Contractor will calculate a total emissions inventory, by pollutant, using the existing Database Management System, which multiplies the activity data times the appropriate emissions factors. |
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Products: The contractor shall provide the MMS with electronic files of the quality assured survey and activity data collected from OCS facilities in the GOADS software. In addition, the contractor shall provide the MMS with a quality assured emissions inventory of platform and non-platform sources in an electronic format compatible with MMS’s database management software. All results should be documented according to MMS report standards. |
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Importance to MMS: First, the collection and compilation of an air emissions inventory is one of the tasks that MMS conducts to assure coordination of air pollution control regulations between OCS offshore sources and state’s sources onshore (as per CAAA/328b). The 2008 inventory is also important to MMS to fill an emissions data gap. Because of the disruption of the hurricanes, MMS has an incomplete inventory for 2005, and even the January through August period may be questionable. If we do not have another inventory until 2011 (the next EPA 3 year cycle), that means MMS will have more than a 10 year data gap between valid inventories. This data gap does not allow for emission trends/ calculations for the next EISs. To best serve the next EIS cycle (5 year/Multi-Sale), MMS needs to conduct an inventory in 2008 so it would be available in 2010 before the EISs in 2011. Therefore, MMS will also use the 2008 emissions inventory to support the NEPA process when preparing Environmental Impact Statements and Assessments. Not only is a 2008 emission inventory good for state and regional planning organizations modeling usage and MMS trends usage, it would be used for an environmental compliance tool by comparing reported platform equipment in the inventory to equipment in the plan, and to the actual equipment on the platform. |
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Current Status: NTL No. 2007-G25 has been posted online to notify the operators that they must collect platform activity data for calendar year 2008 by using the GOADS-2008 software. Also, a GOADS-2008 webpage has been created on our MMS GOMR website (listed below under affiliated WWW sites), which has all the necessary information on the GOADS-2008 effort; including the NTL, the final GOADS-2008 software, the final GOADS-2008 User’s Guide, and Frequently Asked Questions about the software. ERG has continued to provide technical support addressing operator questions regarding the use of GOADS-2008 and any other technical questions. ERG has also continued to provide static 2005 GOADS data files for import into GOADS-2008 upon request from operators (through MMS) and tracked data requests. At this time, operators have started to submit their 2008 GOADS activity reports, which are due to MMS April 17, 2009. ERG has also sent MMS a QA/QC Plan, which MMS is reviewing. |
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Final Report Due: |
July 2010 |
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Publications: |
None |
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Affiliated WWW Sites: |
http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/ |
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Revised date: |
March 2009 |
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ESPIS |
ESPIS
- All completed ESP Studies: |
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