[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 213 (Tuesday, November 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59687-59704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29152]



[[Page 59687]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5916-6]


Final NPDES General Permit for Discharge From New and Existing 
Sources in the Offshore Subcategory of the Oil and Gas Extraction 
Category for the Territorial Seas of Louisiana (LAG260000)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final issuance of NPDES general permit.

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SUMMARY: Region 6 of the United States Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) today issues a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 
(NPDES) General Permit for the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source 
Category, in the Territorial Seas of Louisiana. The permit authorizes 
discharges from New Sources and Existing Sources in the Offshore 
Subcategory of the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source Category (40 CFR 
part 435, subpart A) located in and discharging pollutants to the 
territorial seas of Louisiana. The discharge of produced water to the 
Territorial Seas of Louisiana from Offshore Subcategory facilities 
located in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) waters off Louisiana is 
also covered by this permit.

DATES: All limits and monitoring requirements except the water quality 
based limits and monitoring for toxicity, benzene, lead, total phenols, 
and thallium shall become effective December 4, 1997. The water quality 
based limits and monitoring shall become effective May 4, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Wilma Turner, EPA Region 6, 1445 
Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202, Telephone: (214) 665 7516.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulated Entities

    Entities potentially regulated by this action are those which 
operate offshore oil and gas extraction facilities located in the 
territorial seas offshore of Louisiana.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Examples of regulated   
                 Category                             entities          
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry..................................  Offshore Oil and Gas        
                                             Extraction Platforms.      
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This table lists the types of entities that EPA is now aware could 
potentially be regulated by this action. Other types of entities not 
listed in the table could also be regulated. To determine whether your 
[facility, company, business, organization, etc.] is regulated by this 
action, you should carefully examine the applicability criteria in Part 
I. Section A.1. of the general permit. If you have questions regarding 
the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the 
person listed in the preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Pursuant to section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. 
1342, EPA proposed and solicited public comment on NPDES General Permit 
LAG260000 at 61 FR 37746 (July 19, 1996). This permit was proposed to 
address national effluent limitations guidelines promulgated March 4, 
1993 and to reissue the general permit covering facilities located in 
the territorial seas off the State of Louisiana which expired June 30, 
1984. Notice of this proposed permit was also published in the New 
Orleans Times Picayune on July 27, 1996. The comment period closed on 
September 17, 1996.
    Region 6 received comments from the Offshore Operators Committee, 
American Petroleum Institute, Louisiana Department of Environmental 
Quality, Willie R. Taylor--United States Department of Interior, 
Abraham E. Haspel--United States Department of Energy, Flores & Rucks, 
Inc., Exxon Company, U.S.A., and the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and 
Gas Association.
    EPA Region 6 has considered all comments received. In some 
instances minor wording changes were made in the final permit in order 
to clarify some points as a result of comments or to correct 
typographical errors. In response to the comments received on the 
proposed permit, the following substantive changes were made in the 
final permit. Language showing that new sources are covered was added. 
The critical dilution tables for toxicity limitations were recalculated 
and expanded to account for additional discharge rates and pipe 
diameters. Equations were added in place of the tables for determining 
the limitations for benzene, lead, phenols, and thallium. A period of 
six months was given to come into compliance with the water quality 
based limits for produced water. Model input parameters for diffuser 
modeling were updated based on site specific data. The table specifying 
vertical separation between discharge ports has been updated to account 
for greater volume discharges. Produced water discharges are prohibited 
in some instances in accordance with State regulations (LAC 
33:IX.708.C.2.c.iii, iv, and v.). Biochemical oxygen demand and total 
suspended solids limitations and monitoring were added for sanitary 
waste water discharges under 2,500 gallons per day, and chlorine 
limitations were added for sanitary waste water discharges from 
platforms which are manned by nine or fewer persons. 24-hour reporting 
requirements and unauthorized discharge requirements were changed to 
reflect State regulations. The permit requires operators to submit 
notification of intent to be covered and discharge monitoring reports 
to the State instead of EPA. The State's field designation is also 
required to be included in notifications of intent to be covered. The 
permit also no longer requires permittees to apply for the reissued 
permit six months prior to the expiration date.
    A copy of the Response to Comments may be obtained from Wilma 
Turner at the address listed above.

Other Legal Requirements

Oil Spill Requirements

    CWA section 311 prohibits the discharge of oil and hazardous 
materials in harmful quantities. Discharges in compliance with NPDES 
permit limits are excluded from this prohibition, but the final permit 
neither precludes enforcement action for violations of CWA section 311 
nor relieves permittees from any responsibilities, liabilities, or 
penalties for other unauthorized discharges of oil or hazardous 
materials subject to CWA section 311.

Endangered Species Act

    As explained at 61 FR 37746, EPA has found that issuance of the 
General Permit for the territorial seas off Louisiana will not 
adversely affect any listed threatened or endangered species or 
designated critical habitat and requested written concurrence on that 
determination from the Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife 
Service. The Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries 
Service provided such concurrence on the proposed General Permit for 
Discharges from the Offshore Subcategory of the Oil and Gas Extraction 
Point Source Category to the Territorial Seas of Louisiana (LAG260000).

Ocean Discharge Criteria Evaluation

    At 61 FR 37746, EPA Region 6 determined that discharges in 
compliance with the proposed general permit for the territorial seas of 
Louisiana (LAG260000) would not cause unreasonable degradation of the 
marine environment. No comments have been received which disagree with 
that determination.

Environmental Impact Statement

    EPA determined that issuance of the NPDES General Permit for 
Discharges

[[Page 59688]]

from the Offshore subcategory of the Oil and Gas Extraction Category to 
the Territorial Seas of Louisiana was a major Federal action 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. Thus, 
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) 
evaluation of the potential environmental consequences of the permit 
action in the form of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was 
required.
    On February 12, 1993, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA), Region 6, published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register, 
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on its proposed New 
Source NPDES General Permit for the Offshore Subcategory of the Oil & 
Gas Extraction Category to the Territorial Seas of the Gulf of Mexico 
off Texas and Louisiana. The 45-day public review and comment period 
ended on March 16, 1994. A public hearing to receive comments on the 
Draft EIS and NPDES permit was held March 16, 1994.
    Although the Draft EIS evaluated the NPDES general permits for oil 
and gas operations in the Territorial Seas of Texas and Louisiana, EPA 
has not proposed a permit for the Territorial Seas of Texas; therefore, 
the Final EIS only covers the Louisiana NPDES general permit. The Draft 
EIS and Final EIS have been completed. EPA considered all information 
gathered during the NEPA review including the impact analysis, comments 
received on the Draft EIS and Final EIS, input received from the 
scoping meeting and public hearing on the draft EIS, and other 
information provided by interested parties during the EIS process. 
Additionally, to address impacts relative to Federal and State 
statutes, programs, and regulations, consultation was undertaken with 
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental 
Resources. Through this process EPA found no predicted unacceptable or 
potentially significant adverse impacts, individually or cumulatively, 
that were not subject to control through regulation or mitigation. The 
record of Decision for that process was prepared and is planned to be 
publicly noticed along with this final permit. Based on that Record of 
Decision, EPA is issuing the General Permit for Discharges from the 
Offshore Subcategory of the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source 
Category to the Territorial Seas of Louisiana.

Coastal Zone Management Act

    The Region found the proposed general permit consistent with 
Louisiana's approved Coastal Zone Management Plan and submitted that 
determination and a copy of the proposed permit to the Coastal 
Management Division of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources 
for certification. The Department of Natural Resources provided such 
certification on August 22, 1996.

Marine Protection and Sanctuaries Act

    The Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) of 1972 
regulates the dumping of all types of materials into ocean waters and 
establishes a permit program for ocean dumping. In addition the MPRSA 
establishes the Marine Sanctuaries Program, implemented by the National 
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which requires 
NOAA to designate ocean waters as marine sanctuaries for the purpose of 
preserving or restoring their conservation, recreational, ecological or 
aesthetic values. No marine sanctuaries designated under the Marine 
Research and Sanctuaries Act exist in the area to which this permit 
applies.

State Water Quality Certification

    Under section 401(a)(1) of the Act, EPA may not issue an NPDES 
permit until the State in which the discharge will originate grants or 
waives certification to ensure compliance with appropriate requirements 
of the Act and State law. Section 301(b)(1)(C) of the Act requires that 
NPDES permits contain conditions that ensure compliance with applicable 
State water quality standards or limitations. The proposed permit 
contains limitations intended to ensure compliance with State water 
quality standards and has been determined by EPA Region 6 to be 
consistent with Louisiana's water quality standards and the 
corresponding implementation plan. The Region solicited certification 
of the permit from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality at 
the time it was proposed.
    On September 25, 1996 the State submitted a conditional letter 
certifying that discharges in accordance with the permit will not 
violate water quality standards. That certification was modified with a 
letter the State submitted on September 19, 1997. The four conditions 
of certification LDEQ included in those letters are:
    1. The discharge of produced water onto any intermittently exposed 
sediment surface is prohibited (LAC 33:IX.708.C.2.c.iii).
    2. Produced water shall not be discharged within the boundaries of 
any State or Federal wildlife management area, refuge or park or into 
any water body determined by the Water Pollution Control Division to be 
of special ecological significance (LAC 33:IX.708.C.2.c.iv).
    3. Produced water shall not be discharged within 1,300 feet (via 
water) of an active oyster lease, live natural oyster or other 
molluscan reef, designated oyster seed bed, or sea grass bed. No 
produced water shall be discharged in a manner that, at any time, 
facilitates the incorporation of significant quantities of hydrocarbons 
or radio nuclides into sediment or biota (LAC 33:IX.708.C.2.c.v).
    4. Sanitary waste discharges with an average daily flow of less 
than 2,500 gallons per day shall not exceed a weekly average of 45 mg/l 
for a five day biochemical oxygen demand and for total suspended solids 
(LAC 33:IX.709.B & LAC 33:IX.711.C).
    Those changes have been incorporated in the final permit as 
required.

Executive Order 12866

    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has exempted this action 
from the review requirements of Executive Order 12291 pursuant to 
section 8(b) of that order. Guidance on Executive Order 12866 contains 
the same exemptions on OMB review as existed under Executive Order 
12291. In fact, however, EPA prepared a regulatory impact analysis in 
connection with its promulgation of the guidelines on which a number of 
the permit's provisions are based and submitted it to OMB for review. 
(See 58 FR 12494, March 4, 1993.)

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The information collection required by this permit has been 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., in 
submission made for the NPDES permit program and assigned OMB control 
numbers 2040-0086 (NPDES permit application) and 2040-0004 (discharge 
monitoring reports).
    Since this permit is very similar in reporting and application 
requirements and in discharges which are required to be monitored as 
the Western Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) general permit 
(GMG290000) the paperwork burdens are expected to be nearly identical. 
When it issued the OCS general permit, EPA estimated it would take an 
affected facility three hours to prepare the request for coverage and 
38 hours per year to

[[Page 59689]]

prepare discharge monitoring reports. It is estimated that the time 
required to prepare the request for coverage and discharge monitoring 
reports for this permit will be the same.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., requires that 
EPA prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for regulations that have 
a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. As 
indicated below, the permit issued today is not a ``rule'' subject to 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act. EPA prepared a regulatory flexibility 
analysis, however, on the promulgation of the Offshore Subcategory 
guidelines on which many of the permit's effluent limitations are 
based. That analysis shows that issuance of this permit will not have a 
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    Section 201 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA), P.L. 104-4, 
generally requires Federal agencies to assess the effects of their 
``regulatory actions'' on State, local, and tribal governments and the 
private sector. UMRA uses the term ``regulatory actions'' to refer to 
regulations. (See, e.g., UMRA section 201, ``Each agency shall * * * 
assess the effects of Federal regulatory actions * * *(other than to 
the extent that such regulations incorporate requirements specifically 
set forth in law)'' (emphasis added).) UMRA section 102 defines 
``regulation'' by reference to section 658 of Title 2 of the U.S. Code, 
which in turn defines ``regulation'' and ``rule'' by reference to 
section 601(2) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). That section of 
the RFA defines ``rule'' as ``any rule for which the agency publishes a 
notice of proposed rulemaking pursuant to section 553(b) of [the 
Administrative Procedure Act (APA)], or any other law. * * *''
    NPDES general permits are not ``rules'' under the APA and thus not 
subject to the APA requirement to publish a notice of proposed 
rulemaking. NPDES general permits are also not subject to such a 
requirement under the CWA. While EPA publishes a notice to solicit 
public comment on draft general permits, it does so pursuant to the CWA 
section 402(a) requirement to provide ``an opportunity for a hearing.'' 
Thus, NPDES general permits are not ``rules'' for RFA or UMRA purposes.
    EPA has determined that the final permit would not contain a 
Federal requirement that may result in expenditures of $100 million or 
more for State, local and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or the 
private sector in any one year.
    The Agency also believes that the permit would not significantly 
nor uniquely affect small governments. For UMRA purposes, ``small 
governments'' is defined by reference to the definition of ``small 
governmental jurisdiction'' under the RFA. (See UMRA section 102(1), 
referencing 2 U.S.C. 658, which references section 601(5) of the RFA.) 
``Small governmental jurisdiction'' means governments of cities, 
counties, towns, etc., with a population of less than 50,000, unless 
the agency establishes an alternative definition.
    The final permit also would not uniquely affect small governments 
because compliance with the proposed permit conditions affects small 
governments in the same manner as any other entities seeking coverage 
under the permit.
    NPDES Permit LAG260000 is hereby issued as it appears below.

Authorization To Discharge Under the National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System

    In compliance with the Clean Water Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1251 
et. seq., the ``Act''), operators of New Sources and existing sources 
in the Offshore Subcategory of the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source 
Category which are located in lease blocks in the territorial seas of 
Louisiana are authorized to discharge to the territorial seas of 
Louisiana in accordance with effluent limitations, monitoring 
requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts I, II, and III 
hereof. Also, operators of New Sources and existing sources in the 
Offshore Subcategory of the Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source 
Category which are located in lease blocks in the Outer Continental 
Shelf off Louisiana are authorized to discharge produced water from 
those lease blocks to the territorial seas of Louisiana in accordance 
with effluent limitations, monitoring requirements, and other 
conditions set forth in Parts I, II, and III hereof.
    Operators of lease blocks discharging within the area covered by 
this general permit must submit written notification to the Director 
that they intend to be covered (See Part I.A.2). Unless otherwise 
notified in writing by the Director after submission of the 
notification, owners or operators requesting coverage are authorized to 
discharge under this general permit. Operators of lease blocks 
discharging within the general permit area who fail to notify the 
Director of intent to be covered by this general permit are not 
authorized under this general permit to discharge pollutants from those 
facilities.
    Facilities which adversely affect properties listed or eligible for 
listing in the National Register of Historic Places are also not 
authorized to discharge under this permit.
    This permit shall become effective at Midnight Central Daylight 
Savings Time December 4, 1997.
    This permit and the authorization to discharge shall expire at 
midnight, Central Daylight Savings Time, December 4, 2002.
William B. Hathaway,
Director, Water Quality Protection Division, EPA Region 6.

Part I. Requirements for NPDES Permits

Section A. Permit Applicability and Coverage Conditions

1. Operations Covered
    This permit establishes effluent limitations, prohibitions, 
reporting requirements, and other conditions on discharges from oil and 
gas facilities engaged in production, field exploration, developmental 
drilling, well completion, and well treatment operations.
    The permit coverage area consists of New Source and existing source 
discharges in lease blocks located in the territorial seas of 
Louisiana, which discharge to the territorial seas of Louisiana. In 
addition, permit coverage consists of discharges of produced water from 
lease blocks in the Outer Continental Shelf offshore of Louisiana which 
are made to the territorial seas of Louisiana. This permit does not 
authorize discharges from facilities defined as ``coastal'', 
``onshore'', or ``stripper'' (see 40 CFR part 435, subparts C, D, and 
E).
2. Notification Requirements
    Written notification of intent to be covered including the legal 
name and address of the operator, the lease block number assigned by 
the state or the Department of Interior or, if none, the name commonly 
assigned to the lease area, and the number and type of facilities 
located within the lease block shall be submitted at least fourteen 
days prior to the commencement of discharge. New Source facilities 
shall be clearly identified as such in the notification. Operators 
discharging within the area of coverage of this permit prior to permit 
issuance shall submit notification of intent to be covered within 30 
days after such issuance. If an application for an individual NPDES 
permit has been previously submitted for the lease, the

[[Page 59690]]

notification shall include the application/permit number or the permit 
number of any individual NPDES permit issued by EPA Region 6 for this 
activity.
    All notifications of intent to be covered and any subsequent 
reports under this permit shall be sent to the following address: 
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Water 
Resources, Attn: Oil and Gas Permits Unit, 7290 Bluebonnet, P.O. Box 
82215, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70884-2215.
3. Termination of Operations
    Lease block operators shall notify the Director within 60 days 
after the permanent termination of discharges from their facilities 
within the lease block.
4. Application for NPDES Individual Permit
    a. Any operator authorized by this permit may request to be 
excluded from the coverage of this general permit by applying for an 
individual permit. The operator shall submit an application together 
with the reasons supporting the request to the Director.
    b. When an individual NPDES permit is issued to an operator 
otherwise subject to this general permit, the applicability of this 
permit to the owner or operator is automatically terminated on the 
effective date of the individual permit.

Section B. Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements

1. Drilling Fluids and Drill Cuttings
    There shall be no discharge of drilling fluids or drill cuttings.
2. Deck Drainage
(a) Limitations
    Free Oil. No free oil shall be discharged, as determined by the 
visual sheen method on the surface of the receiving water. Monitoring 
shall be performed once per day when discharging, during conditions 
when an observation of a visual sheen on the surface of the receiving 
water is possible in the vicinity of the discharge, and the facility is 
manned. The number of days a sheen is observed must be recorded.
3. Produced Water
(a) Limitations
    Oil and Grease. Produced water discharges must meet both a daily 
maximum of 42 mg/l and a monthly average of 29 mg/l for oil and grease. 
The sample type shall be either grab, or a 24-hour composite which 
consists of the arithmetic average of the results of 4 grab samples 
taken over a 24-hour period. If only one sample is taken for any one 
month, it must meet both the daily and monthly limits. Samples shall be 
collected prior to the addition of any seawater to the produced water 
waste stream. The analytical method is that specified at 40 CFR part 
136.
    Benzene, Lead, Thallium, and Total Phenol. Produced water 
discharges must meet the limits for benzene, lead, thallium, and total 
phenol calculated using the following equations and the produced water 
critical dilution shown in Appendix A, Table 1 of this permit.

Benzene

Daily Max.=(220.8 g/l / Critical Dilution) * 100
Monthly Avg.=(93 g/l / Critical Dilution) * 100

Total Lead

Daily Max.=(36.7 g/l / Critical Dilution) * 100
Monthly Avg.=(15.5 g/l / Critical Dilution) * 100

Total Thallium

Daily Max.=(19.6 g/l / Critical Dilution) * 100
Monthly Avg.=(8.3 g/l / Critical Dilution) * 100

Total Phenol

Daily Max.=(478 g/l / Critical Dilution) * 100
Monthly Avg.=(201 g/l / Critical Dilution) * 100

    These limits and the associated monitoring requirements for 
benzene, total lead, total thallium, and total phenol shall become 
effective six months after the effective date of the permit.
    The flow used to determine the critical dilution from the table 
shall be the flow most recently reported on the discharge monitoring 
report for the facility. Facilities which have not previously reported 
produced water flow on the discharge monitoring report shall use the 
most recent monthly average flow. The depth used to determine the 
limits shall be the difference in water depth between the discharge 
pipe and the sea floor or between the water's surface and the seafloor 
if the produced water is discharged above the surface. The sample type 
shall be grab. The analytical method is that specified at 40 CFR part 
136. When seawater is added to the produced water waste stream prior to 
discharge, the total produced water flow, including the added seawater, 
shall be used in determining the critical dilution from Appendix A, 
Table 1. Limitations for benzene, total lead, total phenol, and total 
thallium shall become effective six months after the effective date of 
this permit.
    If any individual analytical test result is less than the minimum 
quantification level listed below, a value of zero (0) may be used for 
that individual result for the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) 
calculations and reporting requirements.

Total Phenol (4AAP Method): 5 g/l
Thallium (Total): 10 g/l
Lead (Total): 5 g/l
Benzene: 10 g/l

    Toxicity. Produced water discharges must show no observed effect 
for the survival endpoint portion of the tests on a 7-day average 
minimum and monthly average minimum basis as measured by the 7-day 
chronic toxicity test. The No Observable Effect Concentration (NOEC) 
must be equal to or greater than the critical dilution concentration 
specified in Appendix A, Table 1 of this permit. Critical dilution 
shall be determined using Table 1 of this permit and is based on the 
discharge rate most recently reported on the discharge monitoring 
report and the water depth between the discharge pipe and the seafloor 
or between the surface and the seafloor if the discharge is made above 
the water's surface. Facilities which have not previously reported 
produced water flow on the discharge monitoring report shall use the 
most recent monthly average flow for determining the critical dilution 
from Table 1 of this permit. The monthly average minimum NOEC value is 
defined as the arithmetic average of all 7-day average NOEC values 
determined during the month. These limits and the associated monitoring 
requirements for toxicity shall become effective six months after the 
effective date of the permit.
    Methods to Increase Dilution for Compliance with Limits for 
Toxicity and Benzene, Lead, thallium, and Phenol. Permittees wishing to 
increase mixing may use a horizontal diffuser, multiple port 
discharges, or add seawater as follows:
    Permittees using a horizontal diffuser shall install the diffuser 
designed using CORMIX2. Both the numeric water quality-based limits and 
the critical dilution for chronic toxicity testing shall be based on 
the modeled dilution for the diffuser. The following input parameters 
shall be used in modeling the critical dilution:

Density Gradient=0.182 sigma-t/m
Ambient seawater density at diffuser depth = 1017 kg/m3
Produced water density = 1070 kg/m3
Current speed = 10 cm/sec.


[[Page 59691]]


    When the water at the discharge site is of sufficient depth that 
the plume does not impinge the bottom, the Brooks equation shall be 
applied to the CORMIX2 results as follows:
    1. Calculate the near field dilution factor (S) at the end of the 
impingement region, collapsed plume width (H), and downstream distance 
where the impingement region ends (x) using the CORMIX2 model.
    2. Using the input conditions cited above and calculated factors 
from Step 1, above, calculate the far field dilution factor, 
Ci/C, using the Brooks equation:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04NO97.013

Where:

Ci = concentration at end of impingement
C = concentration at edge of 100 m mixing zone
H = collapsed plume width, in meters
A = 4/3 power law dispersion parameter = 0.000453 m2/3/sec
u = current speed
x = downstream distance where impingement region ends (from step 1, 
above)
t = travel time from end of impingement to 100 m, = (100m-x)/u
 erf = the error function

    3. The total dilution at the 100 m mixing zone is defined as the 
product of the near-field dilution factor, S, found in step 1 and the 
far-field dilution factor, Ci/C, calculated in Step 2.
    Permittees shall state the calculated critical dilution 
corresponding to that diffuser on the annual Discharge Monitoring 
Report (DMR) with a certification that the diffuser is installed. The 
CORMIX2 model runs shall be retained by the permittee as part of its 
NPDES records.
    Permittees using vertically aligned multiple discharge ports shall 
provide vertical separation between ports which is consistent with 
Table 2 of this permit. When multiple discharge ports are installed, 
the depth difference between the discharge port closest to the sea 
floor and the sea floor shall be the depth difference used to determine 
the critical dilution from Table 1 of this permit. The critical 
dilution value shall be based on the port flow rate (total flow rate 
divided by the number of discharge ports) and based on the diameter of 
the discharge port (or smallest discharge port if they are of different 
styles).
    When seawater is added to the produced water waste stream prior to 
discharge, the total produced water flow, including the added seawater, 
shall be used in determining the critical dilution from Table 1.
(b) Prohibitions
    The discharge of produced water is prohibited onto any 
intermittently exposed sediment surface, within the boundaries of any 
state or Federal wildlife management area, refuge, or park or into any 
water body determined to be of special ecological significance, within 
1,300 feet of an active oyster lease, live natural oyster or other 
molluscan reef, designated oyster seed bed, or sea grass bed, or which 
facilitates the incorporation of significant quantities of hydrocarbons 
or radio nuclides into sediment or biota.
(c) Monitoring Requirements
    Flow. Once per month, an estimate of the flow in the units of 
millions of gallons per day (MGD) must be recorded.
    Oil and Grease. The required frequency of sampling shall be once 
per month by grab sample.
    Benzene, Lead, Phenol, and Thallium. The required frequency of 
monitoring shall be determined from the limits calculated from Appendix 
A, Table 1 as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Parameter                         Monthly avg. limit (ug/l)                    Frequency          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thallium.............................  >1,044                                      Once/Quarter.                
                                       1,044 and >490                   Once/Month.                  
                                       490                              Once/2 Weeks.                
Benzene..............................  >12,600                                     Once/Quarter.                
                                       12,600 and >5,900                Once/Month.                  
                                       5,900                            Once/2 Weeks.                
Total Lead...........................  >65,000                                     Once/Quarter.                
                                       65,000 and >30,600               Once/Month.                  
                                       30,600                           Once/2 Weeks.                
Total Phenol.........................  >26,400                                     Once/Quarter.                
                                       26,400 and >12,400               Once/Month.                  
                                       12,400                           Once/2 Weeks.                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    These monitoring requirements for benzene, total lead, total 
thallium, and total phenol shall become effective six months after the 
effective date of the permit.
    Samples for monitoring these parameters shall be collected after 
addition of any substances, including seawater that is added prior to 
discharge.
    If the permittee has been compliant with limits for benzene, lead, 
total phenol or thallium for one full year (twelve consecutive months), 
the required testing frequency shall be reduced to once per quarter for 
the parameter or parameters in compliance as long as the discharge 
remains in compliance.
    For permittees required to monitor once per quarter or once per 
month as stated above, the monitoring frequency shall increase to once 
per two weeks for any of these parameters when the discharge has been 
found to exceed a limit for that parameter.
    If the operator adds a diffuser, multiple discharge ports, or 
seawater to increase dilution to ensure compliance with the limits as 
described above, the operator may decrease the monitoring frequency to 
once per quarter after they have taken the action to increase dilution 
and have demonstrated compliance with the limits for three consecutive 
months.
    Toxicity. The required frequency of toxicity testing shall be 
determined using the toxicity limits as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Toxicity limit (critical dilution)          Monitoring frequency     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
<1%....................................  Once per year.                 
1 and <2.25%................  Once per quarter.              
2.25%.......................  Once per month.                
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 59692]]

    The toxicity monitoring requirements shall become effective six 
months after the effective date of this permit.
    Samples for monitoring produced water toxicity shall be collected 
after addition of any added substances, including seawater that is 
added prior to discharge. Samples also shall be representative of 
produced water discharges when scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, 
biocides, paraffin inhibitors, well completion fluids, workover fluids, 
and/or well treatment fluids are used in operations.
    If the permittee has been compliant with this toxicity limit for 
one continuous year (12 consecutive months), the required testing 
frequency shall be reduced to once per year.
    For permittees required to monitor once per year or once per 
quarter as stated above, the monitoring frequency shall increase to 
once per month when the discharge has been found to exceed the limits 
for toxicity.
    If the operator adds a diffuser, multiple discharge ports, or 
seawater to increase dilution to ensure compliance with the limits as 
described above, the operator may decrease the monitoring frequency to 
once per year after they have taken the action to increase dilution and 
have demonstrated compliance with the limits for three consecutive 
months.
    Radioactivity. Produced water discharges shall be monitored for 
Radium 226 and Radium 228 (See Part I.D.4). The required frequency of 
monitoring shall be obtain using the critical dilution from Appendix A, 
Table 1 based on the water depth, discharge rate, and pipe diameter as 
also required for the toxicity limits. The required monitoring 
frequencies are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Critical dilution                  Monitoring  frequency     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
< 1%...................................  Once per year.                 
 1 and < 2.25%..............  Once per quarter.              
 2.25%......................  Once per month.                
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    When the permittee has monitored radioactivity for one continuous 
year the required monitoring frequency shall be reduced to once per 
year.
4. Produced Sand
    There shall be no discharge of produced sand.
5. Well Treatment, Completion, and Workover Fluids
(a) Limitations
    Free Oil. No free oil shall be discharged.
    Oil and Grease. Well treatment fluids must meet both a daily 
maximum of 42 mg/l and a monthly average of 29 mg/l limitation for oil 
and grease.
    Priority Pollutants. For well treatment, completion, and workover 
fluids the discharge of priority pollutants is prohibited except in 
trace amounts. Information on the specific chemical composition of any 
additives containing priority pollutants shall be recorded.

    Note: If materials added downhole as well treatment, completion, 
or workover fluids contain no priority pollutants, the discharge is 
assumed not to contain priority pollutants except possibly in trace 
amounts.
(b) Monitoring Requirements
    This discharge shall be considered produced water for monitoring 
purposes when commingled with produced water.
    Free Oil. Monitoring shall be performed using the static sheen test 
method once per day when discharging and the facility is manned. The 
number of days a sheen is observed must be recorded.
    Oil and Grease. Monitoring shall be performed once per month. The 
sample type may be either grab or a 24-hour composite consisting of the 
arithmetic average of the results of 4 grab samples taken within the 
24-hour period. If only one sample is taken for any one month, it must 
meet both the daily and monthly limits. The analytical method is that 
specified at 40 CFR part 136.
6. Sanitary Waste
(a) Prohibitions
    Solids. No floating solids may be discharged. Observations must be 
made once per day, during daylight in the vicinity of sanitary waste 
outfalls, following either the morning or midday meals and at the time 
during maximum estimated discharge.
(b) Limitations
    Residual Chlorine. Total residual chlorine is a surrogate parameter 
for fecal coliform. Discharge of total residual chlorine must meet a 
minimum of 1 mg/l and shall be maintained as close to this 
concentration as possible. A grab sample must be taken once per month 
and the concentration recorded (approved method, Hach CN-66-DPD).
    Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) 
Sanitary waste water discharges of less than 2,500 gallons per day 
shall not exceed a daily maximum and monthly average concentration of 
45 mg/l for BOD5 and 45 mg/l for TSS. The monitoring frequency shall be 
once per six months.
7. Domestic Waste
(a) Prohibitions
    Solids. No floating solids or foam shall be discharged.
(b) Monitoring Requirements
    An observation shall be made once per day during daylight in the 
vicinity of domestic waste outfalls following the morning or midday 
meal and at a time during maximum estimated discharge. The number of 
days solids are observed must be recorded.
8. Miscellaneous Discharges
Desalination Unit Discharge
Diatomaceous Earth Filter Media
Blowout Preventer Fluid
Uncontaminated Ballast Water
Uncontaminated Bilge Water
Mud, Cuttings, and Cement at the Sea floor
Uncontaminated Freshwater
Uncontaminated Seawater
Boiler Blowdown
Source Water and Sand
Excess Cement Slurry
(a) Limitations
    Free Oil. No free oil shall be discharged. Discharge is limited to 
those times that a visual sheen observation is possible unless the 
operator uses the static sheen method. Monitoring shall be performed 
using the visual sheen method on the surface of the receiving water 
once per week when discharging, or the static sheen method at the 
operator's option. The number of days a sheen is observed must be 
recorded.
    Floating Solids or Visible Foam. There shall be no discharge of 
floating solids or visible foam.
    [Exceptions] Uncontaminated seawater, uncontaminated freshwater, 
source water and source sand, uncontaminated bilge water, and 
uncontaminated ballast water may be discharged from platforms that are 
on automatic purge systems without monitoring for free oil when the 
facilities are not manned. Additionally, discharges at the sea floor 
of: muds and cuttings prior to installation of the marine riser, 
cement, and blowout preventer fluid may be discharged without 
monitoring with the static sheen test when conditions make observation 
of a sheen on the surface of the receiving water impossible.
9. Miscellaneous Discharges of Seawater and Freshwater Which Have Been 
Chemically Treated
Excess seawater which permits the continuous operation of fire control 
and utility lift pumps

[[Page 59693]]

Excess seawater from pressure maintenance and secondary recovery 
projects
Water released during training of personnel in fire protection
Seawater used to pressure test new piping and new pipelines
Ballast water
Once Through Non-contact cooling water
Desalinization unit discharge
(a) Limitations
    Treatment Chemicals. The concentration of treatment chemicals in 
discharged seawater or freshwater shall not exceed the most stringent 
of the following three constraints:

(1) the maximum concentrations and any other conditions specified in 
the EPA product registration labeling if the chemical is an EPA 
registered product
(2) the maximum manufacturer's recommended concentration
(3) 500 mg/l

    Free Oil. No free oil shall be discharged. Discharge is limited to 
those times that a visible sheen observation is possible unless the 
operator uses the static sheen method. Monitoring shall be performed 
using the visual sheen method on the surface of the receiving water 
once per week when discharging, or by use of the static sheen method at 
the operator's option. The number of days a sheen is observed must be 
recorded.
    Toxicity. The 48-hour minimum and monthly average minimum No 
Observable Effect Concentration (NOEC) must be equal to or greater than 
the critical dilution concentration specified in Table 3 of this 
permit. Critical dilution shall be determined using Table 3 of this 
permit and is based on the discharge rate, discharge pipe diameter, and 
water depth between the discharge pipe and the bottom. The monthly 
average minimum NOEC value is defined as the arithmetic average of all 
48-hour average NOEC values determined during the month.
(b) Monitoring Requirements
    Flow. Once per month, an estimate of the flow (MGD) must be 
recorded.
    Toxicity. The required frequency of testing for continuous 
discharges shall be determined as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Discharge rate                Toxicity testing  frequency   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0-499 bbl/day........................  Once per year.                   
500-4,599 bbl/day....................  Once per quarter.                
4,600 bbl/day and above..............  Once per month.                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Intermittent or batch discharges shall be monitored once per 
discharge but are required to be monitored no more frequently than the 
corresponding frequencies shown above for continuous discharges.
    Samples shall be collected after addition of any added substances, 
including seawater that is added prior to discharge, and before the 
flow is split for multiple discharge ports. Samples also shall be 
representative of the discharge. Methods to increase dilution 
previously described for produced water in Part I.B.3.a also apply to 
seawater and freshwater discharges which have been chemically treated.
    If the permittee has been compliant with this toxicity limit for 
one full year (12 consecutive months) for a continuous discharge of 
chemically treated seawater or freshwater, the required testing 
frequency shall be reduced to once per year for that discharge.

Section C. Other Discharge Limitations

1. Halogenated Phenolic Compounds
    There shall be no discharge of halogenated phenolic compounds as a 
part of any waste stream authorized in this permit.
2. Dispersants, Surfactants, and Detergents
    The facility operator shall minimize the discharge of dispersants, 
surfactants, and detergents except as necessary to comply with the 
safety requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration. This restriction applies to tank cleaning and other 
operations which do not directly involve the safety of workers.
3. Garbage
    The discharge of garbage is prohibited (See Part II.G.30).
5. Area of Biological Concern
    There shall be no discharge in Areas of Biological Concern, 
including marine sanctuaries.

Section D. Other Conditions

1. Samples of Wastes
    If requested, the permittee shall provide EPA with a sample of any 
waste in a manner specified by the Agency.
2. Produced Water Toxicity Testing Requirements (7-Day Chronic NOEC 
Marine Limits)
    The approved test methods for permit compliance are identified in 
40 CFR part 136 and published at 60 FR 53528.
    (a) The permittee shall utilize the Mysidopsis bahia (Mysid shrimp) 
chronic static renewal 7-day survival and growth test using Method 
1007.0.
    (b) The permittee shall utilize the Menidia beryllina (Inland 
Silverside minnow) chronic static renewal 7-day larval survival and 
growth test (Method 1006.0).
    (c) When the testing frequency stated above is less than monthly 
and the effluent fails the survival endpoint at the low-flow effluent 
concentration (critical dilution), the permittee shall be considered in 
violation of this permit limit and the frequency for the affected 
species will increase to monthly until such time compliance with the 
Lethal No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) effluent limitation is 
demonstrated for a period of three consecutive months, at which time 
the permittee may return to the testing frequency stated in Part 
I.B.3.c of this permit. During the period the permittee is out of 
compliance, test results shall be reported on the DMR for that 
reporting period.
    (d) This permit may be reopened to require chemical specific 
effluent limits, additional testing, and/or other appropriate actions 
to address toxicity.
    (e) The permittee shall prepare a full report of the results of all 
tests conducted pursuant to this section in accordance with the Report 
Preparation Section of ``Short-Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic 
Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Marine and Estuarine 
Organisms,'' EPA/600/4-91/003, or the most current publication, for 
every valid or invalid toxicity test initiated whether carried to 
completion or not. The permittee shall retain each full report pursuant 
to the provisions of Part II.C.3 of this permit. The permittee shall 
submit full reports only upon the specific request of the Agency.
    (f) In accordance with Part II.D.4 of this permit, the permittee 
shall report on the DMR for the reporting period the lowest Whole 
Effluent Lethality values determined for either species for the 30-Day 
Average Minimum and 7-Day Minimum under Parameter No. 22414, and the 
permittee shall report the results of the valid toxicity test as 
follows:
1. Menidia Beryllina (Inland Silverside Minnow)
    (A) If the Inland Silverside minnow No Observed Effect 
Concentration (NOEC) for survival is less than the critical effluent 
dilution, enter a ``1''; otherwise, enter a ``0''. Parameter No. TLP6B 
on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
    (B) Report the Inland Silverside minnow NOEC value for survival,

[[Page 59694]]

Parameter No. TOP6B on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
    (C) Report the Inland Silverside minnow NOEC value for growth, 
Parameter No. TPP6B on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
    (D) Report the % coefficient of variation (larger of critical 
dilution and control), Parameter No. TQP6B on the Discharge Monitoring 
Report.
2. Mysidopsis Bahia (Mysid Shrimp)
    (A) If the Mysid shrimp NOEC for survival is less than the critical 
effluent dilution, enter a ``1''; otherwise, enter a ``0''. Parameter 
No. TLP3E on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
    (B) Report the Mysid shrimp NOEC value for survival, Parameter No. 
TOP3E on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
    (C) Report the Mysid shrimp NOEC value for growth, Parameter No. 
TPP3E on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
    (D) Report the % coefficient of variation (larger of critical 
dilution and control), Parameter No. TQP3E on the Discharge Monitoring 
Report.
3. Chemically Treated Seawater and Freshwater Toxicity Testing 
Requirements (48-Hour Acute NEOC Marine Limits)
    The approved test methods for permit compliance are identified in 
40 CFR part 136 and published at 60 FR 53528.
    (a) The permittee shall utilize the Mysidopsis bahia (Mysid shrimp) 
acute static renewal 48-hour definitive toxicity test using EPA/600/4-
90/027F.
    (b) Menidia beryllina (Inland Silverside minnow) acute static 
renewal 48-hour definitive toxicity test using EPA/600/4-90/027F.
    (c) When the testing frequency stated above is less than monthly 
and the effluent fails the survival endpoint at the low-flow effluent 
concentration (critical dilution), the permittee shall be considered in 
violation of this permit limit and the frequency for the affected 
species will increase to monthly until such time compliance with the 
Lethal No Observed Effluent Concentration (NOEC) effluent limitation is 
demonstrated for a period of three consecutive months, at which time 
the permittee may return to the testing frequency stated in Part 
I.B.9.b of this permit. During the period the permittee is out of 
compliance, test results shall be reported on the DMR for that 
reporting period.
    (d) This permit may be reopened to require chemical specific 
effluent limits, additional testing, and/or other appropriate actions 
to address toxicity.
    (e) The permittee shall prepare a full report of the results of all 
tests conducted pursuant to this section in accordance with the Report 
Preparation Section of ``Methods for Measuring the Acute Toxicity of 
Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater and Marine Organisms,'' 
EPA/600/4-90/027F, or the most current publication, for every valid or 
invalid toxicity test initiated whether carried to completion or not. 
The permittee shall retain each full report pursuant to the provisions 
of Part II.C.3 of this permit. The permittee shall submit full reports 
only upon the specific request of the Agency.
    (f) In accordance with Part II.D.4 of this permit, the permittee 
shall report on the DMR for the reporting period the lowest Whole 
Effluent Lethality values determined for either species for the 30-Day 
Average Minimum and 48-Hour Minimum under Parameter No. 22414, and the 
permittee shall report the results of the valid toxicity test as 
follows:
1. Menidia Beryllina (Inland Silverside Minnow)
    (A) If the Inland Silverside minnow No Observed Effect 
Concentration (NOEC) for survival is less than the critical effluent 
dilution, enter a ``1''; otherwise, enter a ``0''. Parameter No. TEM6B 
on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
    (B) Report the Inland Silverside minnow NOEC value for survival, 
Parameter No. TOM6B on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
2. Mysidopsis Bahia (Mysid Shrimp)
    (A) If the Mysid shrimp NOEC for survival is less than the critical 
effluent dilution, enter a ``1''; otherwise, enter a ``0''. Parameter 
No. TEM3E on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
    (B) Report the Mysid shrimp NOEC value for survival, Parameter No. 
TOM3E on the Discharge Monitoring Report.
4. Radionuclide Test
    The approved test methods for monitoring produced water for 
radionuclides are:
    Radium 226: Method Number 7500-Ra C, Standard Methods for the 
Examination of Water and Wastewater, Eighteenth Edition, APHA, AWWA, 
and WPCF.
    Radium 228: Method Number 7500-Ra D, Standard Methods for the 
Examination of Water and Wastewater, Eighteenth Edition, APHA, AWWA, 
and WPCF.

Part II. Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits

Section A. General Conditions

1. Introduction
    In accordance with the provisions of 40 CFR Part 122.41, et. seq., 
this permit incorporates by reference ALL conditions and requirements 
applicable to NPDES permits set forth in the Clean Water Act, as 
amended, (herein-after known as the ``Act'') as well as ALL applicable 
regulations.
2. Duty to Comply
    The permittee must comply with all conditions of this permit. Any 
permit noncompliance constitutes a violation of the Act and is grounds 
for enforcement action or for requiring a permittee to apply and obtain 
an individual NPDES permit.
3. Toxic Pollutants
    a. Notwithstanding Part II.A.5, if any toxic effluent standard or 
prohibition (including any schedule of compliance specified in such 
effluent standard or prohibition) is promulgated under section 307(a) 
of the Act for a toxic pollutant which is present in the discharge and 
that standard or prohibition is more stringent than any limitation on 
the pollutant in this permit, this permit shall be modified or revoked 
and reissued to conform to the toxic effluent standard or prohibition.
    b. The permittee shall comply with effluent standards or 
prohibitions established under section 307(a) of the Act for toxic 
pollutants within the time provided in the regulations that established 
those standards or prohibitions, even if the permit has not yet been 
modified to incorporate the requirement.
4. Duty To Reapply
    If the permittee wishes to continue an activity regulated by this 
permit after the expiration date of this permit, the permittee must 
apply for and obtain a new permit. Continuation of expiring permits 
shall be governed by regulations promulgated at 40 CFR part 122.6 and 
any subsequent amendments.
5. Permit Flexibility
    This permit may be modified, revoked and reissued, or terminated 
for cause in accordance with 40 CFR part 122.62-64. The filing of a 
request for a permit modification, revocation and reissuance, or 
termination, or a notification of planned changes or anticipated 
noncompliance, does not stay any permit condition.

[[Page 59695]]

6. Property Rights
    This permit does not convey any property rights of any sort, or any 
exclusive privilege.
7. Duty to Provide Information
    The permittee shall furnish to the Director, within a reasonable 
time, any information which the Director may request to determine 
whether cause exists for modifying, revoking and reissuing, or 
terminating this permit, or to determine compliance with this permit. 
The permittee shall also furnish to the Director, upon request, copies 
of records required to be kept by this permit.
8. Criminal and Civil Liability
    Except as provided in permit conditions on ``Bypassing'' and 
``Upsets,'' nothing in this permit shall be construed to relieve the 
permittee from civil or criminal penalties for noncompliance. Any false 
or materially misleading representation or concealment of information 
required to be reported by the provisions of the permit, the Act, or 
applicable regulations, which avoids or effectively defeats the 
regulatory purpose of the permit may subject the permittee to criminal 
enforcement pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1001.
9. Oil and Hazardous Substance Liability
    Nothing in this permit shall be construed to preclude the 
institution of any legal action or relieve the permittee from any 
responsibilities, liabilities, or penalties to which the permittee is 
or may be subject under section 311 of the Act.
10. State Laws
    Nothing in this permit shall be construed to preclude the 
institution of any legal action or relieve the permittee from any 
responsibilities, liabilities, or penalties established pursuant to any 
applicable State Law or regulation under authority preserved by section 
510 of the Act.
11. Severability
    The provisions of this permit are severable, and if any provision 
of this permit or the application of any provision of this permit to 
any circumstance is held invalid, the application of such provision to 
other circumstances, and the remainder of this permit, shall not be 
affected thereby.

Section B. Proper Operation and Maintenance

1. Need To Halt or Reduce Not a Defense
    It shall not be a defense for a permittee in an enforcement action 
that it would have been necessary to halt or reduce the permitted 
activity in order to maintain compliance with the conditions of this 
permit. The permittee is responsible for maintaining adequate 
safeguards to prevent the discharge of untreated or inadequately 
treated wastes during electrical power failure either by means of 
alternate power sources, standby generators or retention of 
inadequately treated effluent.
2. Duty To Mitigate
    The permittee shall take all reasonable steps to minimize or 
prevent any discharge in violation of this permit which has a 
reasonable likelihood of adversely affecting human health or the 
environment.
3. Proper Operation and Maintenance
    a. The permittee shall at all times properly operate and maintain 
all facilities and systems of treatment and control (and related 
appurtenances) which are installed or used by permittee as efficiently 
as possible and in a manner which will minimize upsets and discharges 
of excessive pollutants and will achieve compliance with the conditions 
of this permit. Proper operation and maintenance also includes adequate 
laboratory controls and appropriate quality assurance procedures. This 
provision requires the operation of backup or auxiliary facilities or 
similar systems which are installed by a permittee only when the 
operation is necessary to achieve compliance with the conditions of 
this permit.
    b. The permittee shall provide an adequate operating staff which is 
duly qualified to carry out operation, maintenance and testing 
functions required to insure compliance with the conditions of this 
permit.
4. Bypass of Treatment Facilities
    a. Bypass not exceeding limitations. The permittee may allow any 
bypass to occur which does not cause effluent limitations to be 
exceeded, but only if it also is for essential maintenance to assure 
efficient operation. These bypasses are not subject to the provisions 
of Parts II.B.4.b and 4.c.
    b. Notice.
    (1) Anticipated bypass. If the permittee knows in advance of the 
need for a bypass, it shall submit prior notice, if possible at least 
ten days before the date of the bypass.
    (2) Unanticipated bypass. The permittee shall, within 24 hours, 
submit notice of an unanticipated bypass as required in Part II.D.7.
    c. Prohibition of Bypass.
    (1) Bypass is prohibited, and the Director may take enforcement 
action against a permittee for bypass, unless:
    (a) Bypass was unavoidable to prevent loss of life, personal 
injury, or severe property damage;
    (b) There were no feasible alternatives to the bypass, such as the 
use of auxiliary treatment facilities, retention of untreated wastes, 
or maintenance during normal periods of equipment downtime. This 
condition is not satisfied if adequate back-up equipment should have 
been installed in the exercise of reasonable engineering judgment to 
prevent a bypass which occurred during normal periods of equipment 
downtime or preventive maintenance; and,
    (c) The permittee submitted notices as required by Part II.B.4.b.
    (2) The Director may allow an anticipated bypass after considering 
its adverse effects, if the Director determines that it will meet the 
three conditions listed at Part II.B.4.c(1).
    5. Upset Conditions
    a. Effect of an upset. An upset constitutes an affirmative defense 
to an action brought for noncompliance with such technology-based 
permit effluent limitations if the requirements of Part II.B.5.b. are 
met. No determination made during administrative review of claims that 
noncompliance was caused by upset, and before an action for 
noncompliance, is final administrative action subject to judicial 
review.
    b. Conditions necessary for a demonstration of upset. A permittee 
who wishes to establish the affirmative defense of upset shall 
demonstrate, through properly signed, contemporaneous operating logs, 
or other relevant evidence that:
    (1) An upset occurred and that the permittee can identify the 
cause(s) of the upset;
    (2) The permitted facility was at the time being properly operated;
    (3) The permittee submitted notice of the upset as required by Part 
II.D.7; and,
    (4) The permittee complied with any remedial measures required by 
Part II.B.2.
    c. Burden of proof. In any enforcement proceeding, the permittee 
seeking to establish the occurrence of an upset has the burden of 
proof.
    6. Removed Substances
    Solids, sewage sludges, filter backwash, or other pollutants 
removed

[[Page 59696]]

in the course of treatment or wastewater control shall be disposed of 
in a manner such as to prevent any pollutant from such materials from 
entering navigable waters. Any substance specifically listed within 
this permit may be discharged in accordance with specified conditions, 
terms, or limitations.

Section C. Monitoring and Records

1. Inspection and Entry
    The permittee shall allow the Director, or an authorized 
representative, upon the presentation of credentials and other 
documents as may be required by the law to:
    a. Enter upon the permittee's premises where a regulated facility 
or activity is located or conducted, or where records must be kept 
under the conditions of this permit;
    b. Have access to and copy, at reasonable times, any records that 
must be kept under the conditions of this permit;
    c. Inspect at reasonable times any facilities, equipment (including 
monitoring and control equipment), practices or operations regulated or 
required under this permit; and
    d. Sample or monitor at reasonable times, for the purpose of 
assuring permit compliance or as otherwise authorized by the Act, any 
substances or parameters at any location.
2. Representative Sampling
    Samples and measurements taken for the purpose of monitoring shall 
be representative of the monitored activity.
3. Retention of Records
    The permittee shall retain records of all monitoring information, 
including all calibration and maintenance records and all original 
strip chart recordings for continuous monitoring instrumentation, 
copies of all reports required by this permit, and records of all data 
used to complete the application for this permit, for a period of at 
least 3 years from the date of the sample, measurement, report, or 
application. This period may be extended by request of the Director at 
any time.
    The operator shall maintain records at development and production 
facilities for 3 years, wherever practicable and at a specific shore-
based site whenever not practicable. The operator is responsible for 
maintaining records at exploratory facilities while they are 
discharging under the operators control and at a specific shore-based 
site for the remainder of the 3-year retention period.
4. Record Contents
    Records of monitoring information shall include:
    a. The date, exact place, and time of sampling or measurements;
    b. The individual(s) who performed the sampling or measurements;
    c. The date(s) and time(s) analyses were performed;
    d. The individual(s) who performed the analyses;
    e. The analytical techniques or methods used; and
    f. The results of such analyses.
5. Monitoring Procedures
    a. Monitoring must be conducted according to test procedures 
approved under 40 CFR part 136, unless other test procedures have been 
specified in this permit or approved by the Director.
    b. The permittee shall calibrate and perform maintenance procedures 
on all monitoring and analytical instruments at intervals frequent 
enough to insure accuracy of measurements and shall maintain 
appropriate records of such activities.
    c. An adequate analytical quality control program, including the 
analyses of sufficient standards, spikes, and duplicate samples to 
insure the accuracy of all required analytical results shall be 
maintained by the permittee or designated commercial laboratory.
6. Flow Measurements
    Appropriate flow measurement devices and methods consistent with 
accepted scientific practices shall be selected and used to ensure the 
accuracy and reliability of measurements of the volume of monitored 
discharges. The devices shall be installed, calibrated, and maintained 
to insure that the accuracy of the measurements is consistent with the 
accepted capability of that type of device. Devices selected shall be 
capable of measuring flows with a maximum deviation of less than 10% 
from true discharge rates throughout the range of expected discharge 
volumes.

Section D. Reporting Requirements

1. Planned Changes
    The permittee shall give notice to the Director as soon as possible 
of any planned physical alterations or additions to the permitted 
facility. Notice is required only when:
    (1) The alteration or addition to a permitted facility may meet one 
of the criteria for determining whether a facility is a new source in 
40 CFR part 122.29(b); or,
    (2) The alteration or addition could significantly change the 
nature or increase the quantity of pollutants discharged. This 
notification applies to pollutants which are not subject to effluent 
limitations in the permit.
2. Anticipated Noncompliance
    The permittee shall give advance notice to the Director of any 
planned changes in the permitted facility or activity which may result 
in noncompliance with permit requirements.
3. Transfers
    This permit is not transferable to any person except after notice 
to the Director. The Director may require modification or revocation 
and reissuance of the permit to change the name of the permittee and to 
incorporate such requirements as may be necessary under the Act.
4. Discharge Monitoring Reports and Other Reports
    The operator of each lease block shall be responsible for 
submitting monitoring results for all facilities within each lease 
block. The monitoring results for the facilities (platform, drilling 
ship, or semisubmersible) within the particular lease block shall be 
summarized on the annual Discharge Monitoring Report for that lease 
block.
    Monitoring results obtained during the previous 12 months shall be 
summarized and reported on a Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) form 
(EPA No. 3320-1). In addition, the highest monthly average for all 
activity within each lease block shall be reported. The highest daily 
maximum sample taken during the reporting period shall be reported as 
the daily maximum concentration.
    If any category of waste (discharge) is not applicable for all 
facilities within the lease block, due to the type of operations (e.g., 
drilling, production) no reporting is required; however, ``no 
discharge'' must be recorded for those categories on the DMR. If all 
facilities within a lease block have had no activity during the 
reporting period then ``no activity'' must be written on the DMR. 
Operators may list a summary of all lease blocks where there is no 
activity on one DMR. All pages of the DMR must be signed and certified 
as required by Part II.D.11 and returned when due.
5. Additional Monitoring by the Permittee
    If the permittee monitors any pollutant more frequently than 
required by this permit, using test procedures approved under 40 CFR 
part 136 or as specified in this permit, the results of

[[Page 59697]]

this monitoring shall be included in the calculation and reporting of 
the data submitted in the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR). Such 
increased monitoring frequency shall also be indicated on the DMR.
6. Averaging of Measurements
    Calculations for all limitations which require averaging of 
measurements shall utilize an arithmetic mean unless otherwise 
specified.
7. One Hour and Twenty-Four Hour Reporting
    a. The permittee shall report any noncompliance which may endanger 
health or the environment. Any information shall be provided orally 
within 1 hour from the time the permittee becomes aware of the 
circumstances. A written submission shall be provided within 5 days of 
the time the permittee becomes aware of the circumstances. As required 
by LAC33.I.3915, in the event of an unauthorized discharge that does 
cause an emergency condition, the discharger shall notify the DEQ 
hotline by telephone at (504) 925-6595 (collect calls accepted 24 hours 
a day) immediately (a reasonable period of time after taking prompt 
measures to determine the nature, quantity, and potential off-site 
impact of a release, considering the exigency of the circumstances), 
but in no case later than one hour after learning of the discharge. (An 
emergency condition is any condition which could reasonably be expected 
to endanger the health, safety of the public, cause significant adverse 
impact to the land, water, or air environment, or cause severe damage 
to property.) Notification required by this section will be made 
regardless of the amount of discharge. The report shall contain the 
following information:
    (1) A description of the noncompliance and its cause;
    (2) The period of noncompliance including exact dates and times, 
and if the noncompliance has not been corrected, the anticipated time 
it is expected to continue; and,
    (3) Steps being taken to reduce, eliminate, and prevent recurrence 
of the noncomplying discharge.
    b. The following shall be included as information which must be 
reported within 24 hours:
    (1) Any unanticipated bypass which exceeds any effluent limitation 
in the permit;
    (2) Any upset which exceeds any effluent limitation in the permit; 
and,
    (3) Any discharge containing a pollutant in a quantity which 
exceeds any reportable quantity specified in the ``Notification 
Regulations and Procedures for Unauthorized Discharges'', LAC 33: I. 
Subchapter (E), unless specifically authorized in this permit.
    c. The Director may waive the written report on a case-by-case 
basis if the oral report has been received within the time constraints 
stipulated by Part II.D.7.a and b.
8. Other Noncompliance
    The permittee shall report all instances of noncompliance not 
reported under Parts II.D.4 and D.7 at the time monitoring reports are 
submitted. The reports shall contain the information listed at Part 
II.D.7.
9. Other Information
    Where the permittee becomes aware that he failed to submit any 
relevant facts in a permit application, or submitted incorrect 
information in a permit application or in any report to the Director, 
he shall promptly submit such facts or information.
10. Signatory Requirements
    All applications, reports, or information submitted to the Director 
shall be signed and certified.
    a. All permit applications shall be signed as follows:
    (1) For a corporation--by a responsible corporate officer. For the 
purpose of this section, a responsible corporate officer means:
    (a) A president, secretary, treasurer, or vice-president of the 
corporation in charge of a principal business function, or any other 
person who performs similar policy or decision making functions for the 
corporation; or,
    (b) The manager of one or more manufacturing, production, or 
operating facilities employing more than 250 persons or having gross 
annual sales or expenditures exceeding $25 million (in second-quarter 
1980 dollars), if authority to sign documents has been assigned or 
delegated to the manager in accordance with corporate procedures.
    (2) For a partnership or sole proprietorship--by a general partner 
or the proprietor, respectively.
    (3) For a municipality, State, Federal, or other public agency--by 
either a principal executive officer or ranking elected official. For 
purposes of this election, a principal executive officer of a Federal 
agency includes:
    (a) The chief executive officer of the agency, or
    (b) A senior executive officer having responsibility for the 
overall operations of a principal geographic unit of the agency.
    b. All reports required by the permit and other information 
requested by the Director shall be signed by a person described above 
or by a duly authorized representative of that person. A person is a 
duly authorized representative only if:
    (1) The authorization is made in writing by a person described 
above;
    (2) The authorization specifies either an individual or a position 
having responsibility for the overall operation of the regulated 
facility or activity, such as the position of plant manager, operator 
of a well or a well field, superintendent, or position of equivalent 
responsibility, or an individual or position having overall 
responsibility for environmental matters for the company. A duly 
authorized representative may thus be either a named individual or an 
individual occupying a named position; and,
    (3) The written authorization is submitted to the Director.
    c. Certification. Any person signing a document under this section 
shall make the following certification:
    I certify under penalty of law that this document and all 
attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in 
accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel 
properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my 
inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system, or those 
persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the 
information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, 
true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant 
penalties for submitting false information, including the 
possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations.
11. Availability of Reports
    Except for applications, effluent data, permits, and other data 
specified in 40 CFR part 122.7, any information submitted pursuant to 
this permit may be claimed as confidential by the submitter. If no 
claim is made at the time of submission, information may be made 
available to the public without further notice.

Section E. Penalties for Violations of Permit Conditions

1. Criminal
    a. Negligent Violations. The Act provides that any person who 
negligently violates permit conditions implementing section 301, 302, 
306, 307, 308, 318, or 405 of the Act is subject to a fine of not less 
$2,500 nor more than $25,000 per day of violation, or by imprisonment 
for not more than 1 year, or both.
    b. Knowing Violations. The Act provides that any person who 
knowingly violates permit conditions implementing sections 301, 302, 
306, 307, 308, 318 or 405 of the Act is subject

[[Page 59698]]

to a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $50,000 per day of 
violation, or by imprisonment for not more than 3 years, or both.
    c. Knowing Endangerment. The Act provides that any person who 
knowingly violates permit conditions implementing sections 301, 302, 
303, 306, 307, 308, 318, or 405 of the Act and who knows at that time 
that he is placing another person in imminent danger of death or 
serious bodily injury is subject to a fine of not more than $250,000, 
or by imprisonment for not more than 15 years, or both.
    d. False Statements. The Act provides that any person who knowingly 
makes any false material statement, representation, or certification in 
any application, record report, plan, or other document filed or 
required to be maintained under the Act or who knowingly falsifies, 
tampers with, or renders inaccurate, any monitoring device or method 
required to be maintained under the Act, shall upon conviction, be 
punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not 
more than 2 years, or by both. If a conviction of a person is for a 
violation committed after a first conviction of such person under this 
paragraph, punishment shall be by a fine of not more than $20,000 per 
day of violation, or by imprisonment of not more than 4 years, or by 
both. (See section 309.c.4 of the Clean Water Act)
2. Civil Penalties
    The Act provides that any person who violates a permit condition 
implementing sections 301, 302, 306, 307, 308, 318, or 405 of the Act 
is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 per day for each 
violation.
3. Administrative Penalties
    The Act provides that any person who violates a permit conditions 
implementing sections 301, 302, 306, 307, 308, 318, or 405 of the Act 
is subject to an administrative penalty, as follows:
    a. Class I Penalty. Not to exceed $10,000 per violation nor shall 
the maximum amount exceed $25,000.
    b. Class II penalty. Not to exceed $10,000 per day for each day 
during which the violation continues nor shall the maximum amount 
exceed $125,000.

Section F. Additional General Permit Conditions

1. When the Director May Require Application for an Individual NPDES 
Permit
    The Director may require any person authorized by this permit to 
apply for and obtain an individual NPDES permit when:
    (a) The discharge(s) is a significant contributor of pollution;
    (b) The discharger is not in compliance with the conditions of this 
permit;
    (c) A change has occurred in the availability of the demonstrated 
technology or practices for the control or abatement of pollutants 
applicable to the point sources;
    (d) Effluent limitations guidelines are promulgated for point 
sources covered by this permit;
    (e) A Water Quality Management Plan containing requirements 
applicable to such point source is approved;
    (f) The point source(s) covered by this permit no longer:
    (1) Involve the same or substantially similar types of operations;
    (2) Discharge the same types of wastes;
    (3) Require the same effluent limitations or operating conditions;
    (4) Require the same or similar monitoring; and
    (5) In the opinion of the Director, are more appropriately 
controlled under an individual permit than under a general permit.
    (g) The bioaccumulation monitoring results show concentrations of 
the listed pollutants in excess of levels safe for human consumption.
    The Director may require any operator authorized by this permit to 
apply for an individual NPDES permit only if the operator has been 
notified in writing that a permit application is required.
2. When an Individual NPDES Permit May Be Requested
    (a) Any operator authorized by this permit may request to be 
excluded from the coverage of this general permit by applying for an 
individual permit.
    (b) When an individual NPDES permit is issued to an operator 
otherwise subject to this general permit, the applicability of this 
permit to the owner or operator is automatically terminated on the 
effective date of this individual permit.
    (c) A source excluded from coverage under this general permit 
solely because it already has an individual permit may request that its 
individual permit be revoked, and that it be covered by this general 
permit. Upon revocation of the individual permit, this general permit 
shall apply to the source.
3. Permit Reopener Clause
    If applicable new or revised effluent limitations guidelines or New 
Source Performance Standards covering the Offshore Subcategory of the 
Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source Category (40 CFR part 435) are 
promulgated in accordance with sections 301(b), 304(b)(2), and 
307(a)(2), and the new or revised effluent limitations guidelines or 
New Source Performance Standards are more stringent than any effluent 
limitations in this permit or control a pollutant not limited in this 
permit, the permit may, at the Director's discretion, be modified to 
conform to the new or revised effluent limitations guidelines.
    Notwithstanding the above, if an offshore oil and gas extraction 
point source discharge facility is subject to the ten year protection 
period for new source performance standards under the Clean Water Act 
section 306(d), this reopener clause may not be used to modify the 
permit to conform to more stringent new source performance standards or 
technology based standards developed under section 301(b)(2) during the 
ten year period specified in 40 CFR part 122.29(d).
    The Director may modify this permit upon meeting the conditions set 
forth in this reopener clause.

Section G. Definitions

    All definitions contained in section 502 of the Act shall apply to 
this permit and are incorporated herein by references. Unless otherwise 
specified in this permit, additional definitions of words or phrases 
used in this permit are as follows:
    1. ``Act'' means the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et. seq.), as 
amended.
    2. ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.
    3. ``Annual Average'' means the average of all discharges sampled 
and/or measured during a calendar year in which daily discharges are 
sampled and/or measured, divided by the number of discharges sampled 
and/or measured during such year.
    4. ``Applicable effluent standards and limitations'' means all 
state and Federal effluent standards and limitations to which a 
discharge is subject under the Act, including, but not limited to, 
effluent limitations, standards of performance, toxic effluent 
standards and prohibitions, and pretreatment standards.
    5. ``Applicable water quality standards'' means all water quality 
standards to which a discharge is subject under the Act.
    6. ``Areas of Biological Concern'' means a portion of the 
territorial seas identified by EPA, in consultation with the Department 
of Interior as containing potentially productive or unique biological 
communities or as being

[[Page 59699]]

potentially sensitive to discharges associated with oil and gas 
activities.
    7. ``Blow-Out Preventer Control Fluid'' means fluid used to actuate 
the hydraulic equipment on the blow-out preventer or subsea production 
wellhead assembly.
    8. ``Boiler Blowdown'' means discharges from boilers necessary to 
minimize solids build-up in the boilers, including vents from boilers 
and other heating systems.
    9. ``Bulk Discharge'' any discharge of a discrete volume or mass of 
effluent from a pit tank or similar container that occurs on a one-
time, infrequent or irregular basis.
    10. ``Bypass'' means the intentional diversion of waste streams 
from any portion of a treatment facility.
    11. ``Completion Fluids'' means salt solutions, weighted brines, 
polymers and various additives used to prevent damage to the well bore 
during operations which prepare the drilled well for hydrocarbon 
production. These fluids move into the formation and return to the 
surface as a slug with the produced water. Drilling muds remaining in 
the wellbore during logging, casing, and cementing operations or during 
temporary abandonment of the well are not considered completion fluids 
and are regulated by drilling fluids requirements.
    12. ``Daily Discharge'' means the discharge of a pollutant measured 
during a calendar day or any 24-hour period that reasonably represents 
the calendar day for purposes of sampling. For pollutants with 
limitations expressed in terms of mass, the daily discharge is 
calculated as the total mass of the pollutant discharged over the 
sampling day. For pollutants with limitations expressed in other units 
of measurement, the daily discharge is calculated as the average 
measurement of the pollutant over the sampling day. Daily discharge 
determination of concentration made using a composite sample shall be 
the concentration of the composite sample. When grab samples are used, 
the daily discharge determination of concentration shall be arithmetic 
average (weighted by flow value) of all samples collected during that 
sampling day.
    13. ``Daily Average'' (also known as monthly average) discharge 
limitations means the highest allowable average of daily discharge(s) 
over a calendar month, calculated as the sum of all daily discharge(s) 
measured during a calendar month divided by the number of daily 
discharge(s) measured during that month. When the permit establishes 
daily average concentration effluent limitations or conditions, the 
daily average concentration means the arithmetic average (weighted by 
flow) of all daily discharge(s) of concentration determined during the 
calendar month where C=daily concentration, F=daily flow, and n=number 
of daily samples; daily average discharge=
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04NO97.014

    14. ``Daily Maximum'' discharge limitations means the highest 
allowable ``daily discharge'' during the calendar month.
    15. ``Desalinization Unit Discharge'' means wastewater associated 
with the process of creating freshwater from seawater.
    16. ``Deck Drainage'' means any waste resulting from deck washings, 
spillage, rainwater, and runoff from gutters and drains including drip 
pans and work areas within facilities covered under this permit.
    17. ``Development Drilling'' means the drilling of wells required 
to efficiently produce a hydrocarbon formation or formations.
    18. ``Development Facility'' means any fixed or mobile structure 
that is engaged in the drilling of productive wells.
    19. ``Diatomaceous Earth Filter Media'' means filter media used to 
filter seawater or other authorized completion fluids and subsequently 
washed from the filter.
    20. ``Diesel Oil'' means the grade of distillate fuel oil, as 
specified in the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard 
Specification D975-81, that is typically used as the continuous phase 
in conventional oil-based drilling fluids.
    21. ``Director'' means the State Director or an authorized 
representative.
    22. ``Domestic Waste'' means material discharged from galleys, 
sinks, showers and baths, safety showers, eye wash stations, hand 
washing stations, fish cleaning stations, and laundries. Domestic Waste 
does not include drainage from toilets, urinals, hospitals, and cargo 
spaces.
    23. ``Drill Cuttings'' means particles generated by drilling into 
the subsurface geological formations including cured cement carried to 
the surface with the drilling fluid.
    24. ``Drilling Fluids'' means the circulating fluid (mud) used in 
the rotary drilling of wells to clean and condition the hole and to 
counterbalance formation pressure. A water-based drilling fluid is the 
conventional drilling mud in which water is the continuous phase and 
the suspending medium for solids, whether or not oil is present. An oil 
based drilling fluids has diesel oil, mineral oil, or some other oil as 
its continuous phase with water as the dispersed phase.
    25. ``Environmental Protection Agency'' (EPA) means the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.
    26. ``Excess Cement Slurry'' means the excess mixed cement, 
including additives and wastes from equipment wash down, after a 
cementing operation.
    27. ``Exploratory Facility'' means any fixed or mobile structure 
that is engaged in the drilling of wells to determine the nature of 
potential hydrocarbon reservoirs.
    28. ``Fecal Coliform Bacteria Sample'' consists of one effluent 
grab portion collected during a 24-hour period at peak loads.
    29. ``Grab sample'' means an individual sample collected in less 
than 15 minutes.
    30. ``Garbage'' means all kinds of food waste, wastes generated in 
living areas on the facility, and operational waste, excluding fresh 
fish and parts thereof, generated during the normal operation of the 
facility and liable to be disposed of continuously or periodically, 
except domestic waste water such as dishwater, and those substances 
that are defined or listed in other Annexes to MARPOL 73/78
    31. ``Inverse Emulsion Drilling Fluids'' means an oil-based 
drilling fluid which also contains a large amount of water.
    32. ``Live bottom areas'' means those areas which contain 
biological assemblages consisting of such sessile invertebrates as seas 
fans, sea whips, hydroids, anemones, ascideians sponges, bryozoans, 
seagrasses, or corals living upon and attached to naturally occurring 
hard or rocky formations with fishes and other fauna.
    33. ``Maintenance waste'' means materials collected while 
maintaining and operating the facility, including, but not limited to, 
soot, machinery deposits, scraped paint, deck sweepings, wiping wastes, 
and rags.
    34. ``Muds, Cuttings, and Cement at the Sea floor'' means 
discharges that occur at the sea floor prior to installation of the 
marine riser and during marine riser disconnect, well abandonment and 
plugging operations.
    35. ``National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System'' (NPDES) 
means the national program for issuing, modifying, revoking, and 
reissuing, terminating, monitoring, and enforcing permits, and imposing 
and enforcing pretreatment requirements, under

[[Page 59700]]

section 307, 318, 402, and 405 of the Act.
    36. ``New Source'' means any facility or activity that meets the 
definition of ``new source'' under 40 CFR part 122.2 and meets the 
criteria for determination of new sources under 40 CFR part 122.29(b) 
applied consistently with all of the following definitions:
    (a) The term ``water area'' as used in the term ``site'' in 40 CFR 
parts 122.29 and 122.2 shall mean the water area and ocean floor 
beneath any exploratory, development, or production facility where such 
facility is conducting its exploratory, development, or production 
activities.
    (b) The term ``significant site preparation work'' as used in 40 
CFR part 122.29 shall mean the process of surveying, clearing, or 
preparing an area of the ocean floor for the purpose of constructing or 
placing a development or production facility on or over the site.
    37. ``Operational waste'' means all cargo associated waste, 
maintenance waste, cargo residues, and ashes and clinkers from 
incinerators and coal burning boilers.
    38. ``Packer Fluid'' means low solids fluids between the packer, 
production string and well casing. They are considered to be workover 
fluids.
    39. ``Priority Pollutants'' means those chemicals or elements 
identified by EPA, pursuant to section 307 of the Clean Water Act and 
40 CFR part 401.15.
    40. ``Produced Sand'' means slurried particles used in hydraulic 
fracturing, the accumulated formation sands, and scale particles 
generated during production. Produced sand also includes desander 
discharge from produced water waste stream and blowdown of water phase 
from the produced water treating system.
    41. ``Produced Water'' means the water (brine) brought up from the 
hydrocarbon-bearing strata during the extraction of oil and gas, and 
can include formation water, injection water, and any chemicals added 
downhole or during the oil/water separation process.
    42. ``Production Facility'' means any fixed or mobile structure 
that is either engaged in well completion or used for active recovery 
of hydrocarbons from producing formations.
    43. ``Sanitary Waste'' means human body waste discharged from 
toilets and urinals.
    44. ``Severe property damage'' means substantial physical damage to 
property, damage to the treatment facilities which cause them to become 
inoperable, or substantial and permanent loss of natural resources 
which can reasonably be expected to occur in the absence of a bypass. 
Severe property damage does not mean economic loss caused by delays in 
production.
    45. ``Sheen'' means a silvery or metallic sheen, gloss, or 
increased reflectivity, visual color or iridescence on the water 
surface.
    46. ``Source Water and Sand'' means water from non-hydrocarbon 
bearing formations for the purpose of pressure maintenance or secondary 
recovery including the entrained solids.
    47. ``Spotting'' means the process of adding a lubricant (spot) 
downhole to free stuck pipe.
    48. ``Territorial Seas'' means the belt of the seas measured from 
the line of ordinary low water along that portion of the coast which is 
in direct contact with the open sea and the line marking the seaward 
limit of inland waters, and extending seaward a distance of three 
miles.
    49. ``Trace Amounts'' means that if materials added downhole as 
well treatment, completion, or workover fluids do not contain priority 
pollutants then the discharge is assumed not to contain priority 
pollutants, except possibly in trace amounts.
    50. ``Uncontaminated Ballast/Bilge Water'' means seawater added or 
removed to maintain proper draft.
    51. ``Uncontaminated Freshwater'' means freshwater which is 
discharged without the addition of chemicals; included are (1) 
discharges of excess freshwater that permit the continuous operation of 
fire control and utility lift pumps, (2) excess freshwater from 
pressure maintenance and secondary recovery projects, (3) water 
released during training and testing of personnel in fire protection, 
and (4) water used to pressure test new piping.
    52. ``Uncontaminated Seawater'' means seawater which is returned to 
the sea without the addition of chemicals. Included are (1) discharges 
of excess seawater which permit the continuous operation of fire 
control and utility lift pumps (2) excess seawater from pressure 
maintenance and secondary recovery projects (3) water released during 
the training and testing of personnel in fire protection (4) seawater 
used to pressure test new piping, and (5) once through noncontact 
cooling water which has not been treated with biocides.
    53. ``Upset'' means an exceptional incident in which there is 
unintentional and temporary noncompliance with technology-based permit 
effluent limitations because of factors beyond the reasonable control 
of the permittee. An upset does not include noncompliance to the extent 
caused by operational error, improperly designed treatment facilities, 
inadequate treatment facilities, lack of preventive maintenance, or 
careless or improper operation.
    54. ``Weekly Average'' means the highest allowable average of daily 
discharge(s) over a calendar week, calculated as the sum of all daily 
discharge(s) measured during a calendar week divided by the number of 
daily discharge(s) measured during that week. When the permit 
establishes daily average concentration effluent limitations or 
conditions, the daily average concentration means the arithmetic 
average (weighted by flow) of all daily discharge(s) of concentration 
determined during the calendar week where C=daily concentration, 
F=daily flow, and n=number of daily samples; daily average discharge=
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04NO97.015

    55. ``Well Treatment Fluids'' mean any fluid used to restore or 
improve productivity by chemically or physically altering hydrocarbon-
bearing strata after a well has been drilled. These fluids move into 
the formation and return to the surface as a slug with the produced 
water. Stimulation fluids include substances such as acids, solvents, 
and propping agents.
    56. ``Workover Fluids'' mean salt solutions, weighted brines, 
polymers, and other specialty additives used in a producing well to 
allow safe repair and maintenance or abandonment procedures. High 
solids drilling fluids used during work over operations are not 
considered work over fluids by definition and therefore discharge is 
prohibited. Packer fluids, low solids fluids between the packer, 
production string and well casing, are considered to be workover fluids 
and must meet only the effluent requirements imposed on workover 
fluids.
    57. The term ``MGD'' shall mean million gallons per day.
    58. The term ``mg/l'' shall mean milligrams per liter or parts per 
million (ppm).
    59. The term ``ug/l'' shall mean micrograms per liter or parts per 
billion (ppb).

[[Page 59701]]



                                                                       Appendix A                                                                       
     Table 1-A.--Produced Water Critical Dilution (Percent Effluent) Depth Difference Between the Discharge Pipe and the Sea Floor 2 Meters and Less    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                              Pipe diameter (inches)                                    
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Discharge rate (bbl/day)                                5''  7''  9''  11''                 
                                                           >0'' to 5''      to 7''          to 9''          to 11''         to 15''      15''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
500..........................................          0.26           0.26            0.26            0.11             0.1              0.09 
501 to 1,000............................................          0.66           0.66            0.66            0.66             0.66             0.66 
1,001 to 2,000..........................................          1.44           1.44            1.44            1.44             1.44             1.44 
2,001 to 3,000..........................................          2.63           2.2             2.2             2.2              2.2              2.2  
3,001 to 4,000..........................................          4.2            3.0             3.0             3.0              3.0              3.0  
4,001 to 5,000..........................................          5.6            3.6             3.6             3.6              3.6              3.6  
5,001 to 7,500..........................................          7.6            6.4             5.3             5.3              5.3              5.3  
7,501 to 10,000.........................................          8.8            9.4             6.8             6.8              6.8              6.8  
10,001 to 15,000........................................         10.5           12.25           10.8             9.1              9.1              9.1  
15,001 to 20,000........................................         11.5           13.6            14.8            10.9             10.9             10.1  
20,001 to 35,000........................................         13.0           15.6            17.4            18.7             15.4             14.4  
35,001 to 50,000........................................         13.7           16.5            18.5            20.0             21.1             16.6  
50,001 to 75,000........................................         16.7           17.3            19.5            21.0             22.25            19.0  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bbl/day means barrels per day.                                                                                                                         


Table 1-B.--Produced Water Critical Dilution (Percent Effluent) Depth Difference Between the Discharge Pipe and the Sea Floor Greater Than 2 Meters to 4
                                                                         Meters                                                                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                              Pipe diameter (inches)                                    
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Discharge rate (bbl/day)                                5''  7''  9''  11''                 
                                                           >0'' to 5''      to 7''          to 9''          to 11''         to 15''      15''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
500..........................................          0.1            0.1             0.1             0.1              0.1              0.1  
501 to 1,000............................................          0.2            0.2             0.2             0.2              0.2              0.2  
1,001 to 2,000..........................................          0.36           0.36            0.36            0.36             0.36             0.36 
2,001 to 3,000..........................................          0.74           0.65            0.65            0.65             0.65             0.65 
3,001 to 4,000..........................................          1.1            0.86            0.86            0.86             0.86             0.86 
4,001 to 5,000..........................................          1.55           1.05            1.05            1.05             1.05             1.05 
5,001 to 7,500..........................................          3.0            1.74            1.5             1.5              1.5              1.5  
7,501 to 10,000.........................................          4.6            2.6             2.0             2.0              2.0              2.0  
10,001 to 15,000........................................          5.8            4.9             3.2             2.8              2.8              2.8  
15,001 to 20,000........................................          6.2            7.6             5.0             3.6              3.5              3.5  
20,001 to 35,000........................................          6.7            8.8             9.8             7.5              5.9              5.6  
35,001 to 50,000........................................          7.0            9.2            11.0            11.2              8.9              6.9  
50,001 to 75,000........................................          7.15           9.5            11.4            13.0             13.5              8.5  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bbl/day means barrels per day.                                                                                                                         


Table 1-C.--Produced Water Critical Dilution (Percent Effluent) Depth Difference Between the Discharge Pipe and the Sea Floor Greater Than 4 Meters to 6
                                                                         Meters                                                                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                              Pipe diameter (inches)                                    
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Discharge rate (bbl/day)                                5''  7''  9''  11''                 
                                                           >0'' to 5''      to 7''          to 9''          to 11''         to 15''      15''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
500..........................................          0.04           0.04            0.04            0.04             0.04             0.04 
501 to 1,000............................................          0.09           0.09            0.09            0.09             0.09             0.09 
1,001 to 2,000..........................................          0.17           0.17            0.17            0.17             0.17             0.17 
2,001 to 3,000..........................................          0.26           0.24            0.24            0.24             0.24             0.24 
3,001 to 4,000..........................................          0.37           0.31            0.31            0.31             0.31             0.31 
4,001 to 5,000..........................................          0.6            0.5             0.5             0.5              0.5              0.5  
5,001 to 7,500..........................................          1.14           0.8             0.7             0.7              0.7              0.7  
7,501 to 10,000.........................................          1.8            1.1             0.9             0.9              0.9              0.9  
10,001 to 15,000........................................          3.5            2.0             1.4             1.3              1.3              1.3  
15,001 to 20,000........................................          4.3            3.1             2.1             1.7              1.7              1.7  
20,001 to 35,000........................................          4.6            6.2             4.8             3.6              2.8              2.7  
35,001 to 50,000........................................          4.8            6.5             7.2             5.7              4.6              3.6  
50,001 to 75,000........................................          4.9            6.6             8.2             8.8              7.3              4.8  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bbl/day means barrels per day.                                                                                                                         


[[Page 59702]]


 Table 1-D. Produced Water Critical Dilution (Percent Effluent) Depth Difference Between the Discharge Pipe and the Sea Floor Greater than 6 Meters to 9
                                                                         Meters                                                                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                               Pipe diameter (inches)                                   
                                                          ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Discharge rate (bbl/day)                                5''  7''  9''  11'                 
                                                            >0'' to 5'       to 7''          to 9''          to 11''         to 15''     15''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
500...........................................          0.04           0.04            0.04            0.04            0.04             0.04 
501 to 1,000.............................................          0.06           0.06            0.06            0.06            0.06             0.06 
1,001 to 2,000...........................................          0.1            0.1             0.1             0.1             0.1              0.1  
2,001 to 3,000...........................................          0.15           0.14            0.14            0.14            0.14             0.14 
3,001 to 4,000...........................................          0.21           0.18            0.18            0.18            0.18             0.18 
4,001 to 5,000...........................................          0.27           0.22            0.22            0.22            0.22             0.22 
5,001 to 7,500...........................................          0.6            0.43            0.41            0.41            0.41             0.41 
7,501 to 10,000..........................................          0.9            0.62            0.53            0.53            0.53             0.55 
10,001 to 15,000.........................................          1.8            1.1             0.83            0.76            0.76             0.76 
15,001 to 20,000.........................................          2.8            1.6             1.2             1.0             1.0              1.0  
20,001 to 35,000.........................................          3.6            3.7             2.6             2.0             1.7              1.6  
35,001 to 50,000.........................................          3.7            5.0             4.3             3.3             2.6              2.2  
50,001 to 75,000.........................................          3.7            5.1             6.4             5.4             4.4              3.1  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bbl/day means barrels per day.                                                                                                                          


   Table 1-E.--Produced Water Critical Dilution (Percent Effluent) Depth Difference Between the Discharge Pipe and the Sea Floor Greater Than 9 Meters  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                               Pipe diameter (inches)                                   
                                                          ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Discharge rate (bbl/day)                                5''  7''  9''  11'                 
                                                            >0'' to 5''      to 7''          to 9''          to 11''         to 15''     15''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
500...........................................          0.04           0.04            0.04            0.04            0.04             0.04 
501 to 1,000.............................................          0.06           0.06            0.06            0.06            0.06             0.06 
1,001 to 2,000...........................................          0.09           0.09            0.09            0.09            0.09             0.09 
2,001 to 3,000...........................................          0.11           0.1             0.1             0.1             0.1              0.1  
3,001 to 4,000...........................................          0.13           0.12            0.12            0.12            0.12             0.12 
4,001 to 5,000...........................................          0.15           0.13            0.13            0.13            0.13             0.13 
5,001 to 7,500...........................................          0.22           0.18            0.18            0.18            0.18             0.18 
7,501 to 10,000..........................................          0.42           0.32            0.3             0.3             0.3              0.3  
10,001 to 15,000.........................................          0.8            0.53            0.44            0.42            0.42             0.42 
15,001 to 20,000.........................................          1.3            0.8             0.62            0.54            0.54             0.54 
20,001 to 35,000.........................................          2.7            1.8             1.3             1.0             0.9              0.9  
35,001 to 50,000.........................................          2.7            3.0             2.2             1.7             1.4              1.2  
50,001 to 75,000.........................................          2.8            3.9             3.7             3.0             2.4              1.7  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bbl/day means barrels per day.                                                                                                                          


      Table 2.--Minimum Vertical Port Separation Distance to Avoid      
                              Interference                              
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Minimum   
                Port flow rate (bbl/day)                    separation  
                                                           distance (m) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0-500...................................................             2.2
501-1000................................................             2.7
1001-2000...............................................             4.7
2001-5000...............................................             4.8
5001 and Greater........................................             6.6
------------------------------------------------------------------------


  Table 3.--Critical Dilutions (Percent Effluent) for Toxicity Limitations for Seawater and Freshwater to Which 
                                       Treatment Chemicals Have Been Added                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               Pipe diameter                    
  Depth difference** (meters)      Discharge rate (bbl/  -------------------------------------------------------
                                           day)            >0'' to 2''   >2'' to 4''   >4'' to 6''      >6''    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 to 3.........................  0 to 1,000.............          11.4           5.1           5.1           6.3
                                 1,001 to 10,000........          38            53            62            67  
                                 Greater than 10,000....          49            66            74            77  
>3 to 5........................  0 to 1,000.............           4.0           4.8           6.6           6.2
                                 1,001 to 10,000........          16.1          25            30            23  
                                 Greater than 10,000....          23.6          33.3          39            49  
>5 to 7........................  0 to 1,000.............           4.0           4.8           5.6           6.2
                                 1,001 to 10,000........          12.8          21            18.1          18.8
                                 Greater than 10,000....          16.7          25.4          31.2          34.4
Greater than 7.................  0 to 1,000.............           4.0           4.8           5.6           6.2

[[Page 59703]]

                                                                                                                
                                 1,001 to 10,000........           9.8          16.3          18.1          18.8
                                 Greater than 10,000....          12.4          18.8          25.2          26.3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Depth Difference means the distance in water depth between the discharge pipe and the seafloor.                 


                                        Table 3.--Effluent Limitations, Prohibitions and Monitoring Requirements                                        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                            Monitoring requirement                      
                                          Regulated and       Discharge limitation/ --------------------------------------------------------------------
             Discharge                monitored discharged         prohibition            Measurement                                                   
                                            parameter                                      frequency          Sample type/method     Recorded value(s)  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drilling fluid.....................  ......................  No Discharge                                                                               
Drill cuttings.....................  ......................  No Discharge                                                                               
Deck drainage......................  Free Oil..............  No free oil             Once/day(*2).........  Visual sheen.........  Number of days sheen 
                                                                                                                                    observed.           
Produced water.....................  Oil and grease........  42 mg/l daily max.      One/month............  Grab (*3)............  Dail max., monthly   
                                                             29 mg/l monthly                                                        average.            
                                                              average                                                                                   
                                     Toxicity..............  7-day average min.      Dilution Dependent     Grab.................  Lowest NOEC for      
                                                              NOEC (*10) and          (*9).                                         either of the two   
                                                              monthly average min.                                                  species.            
                                                              NOEC (*10).                                                                               
                                     Benzene, Lead, Total    See Part I.B.3.a......  Dilution Dependent     Grab.................  Daily max., monthly  
                                      Phenols, and Thallium.                          (*9).                                         average.            
                                     Radium 226 and 228....  Monitor...............  Dilution Dependent     Grab.................  pCi/liter.           
                                                                                      (*9).                                                             
                                     Flow (MGD)............  Monitor...............  Once/month...........  Estimate.............  Monthly Average.     
Produced Sand......................  ......................  No Discharge                                                                               
Well treatment fluids (*4)           Free oil..............  No free oil...........  Once day (*1)........  Statics sheen........  Number of days sheen 
 completion fluids (*4), and                                                                                                        observed.           
 workover fluids (*4) (includes                                                                                                                         
 packer fluids).                                                                                                                                        
                                     Oil and Grease........  42 mg/l daily maxo.,    Once/month...........  Grab (*3)............  Daily max., monthly  
                                                             29 mg/l monthly avg.                                                   average.            
Sanitary waste.....................  Residual chlorine.....  1 mg/l (minimum)......  Once/month...........  Grab.................  Concentration.       
                                     Solids................  No Floating Solids....  Once/day.............  Observation (*8).....  Number days solids   
                                                                                                                                    observed.           
                                     BOD5 (*6).............  45 mg/l...............  Once/six months......  Grab.................  Concentration.       
                                     TSS (*6)..............  45 mg/l...............  Once/six month.......  Grap.................  Concentration        
Domestic waste.....................  Solids................  No floating solids or   Once/day.............  Observation (*8).....  Number of days       
                                                              foam.                                                                 observed.           
Miscellaneous discharges.            Free oil..............  No free oil...........  Once/week (*5).......  Visual sheen.........  Number of days sheen 
 Desalinization unit discharge;                                                                                                     observed.           
 blowout preventer fluid;                                                                                                                               
 uncontaminated ballast water;                                                                                                                          
 uncontaminated bilge water;                                                                                                                            
 uncontaminated freshwater; mud,                                                                                                                        
 cuttings and cement to sea floor;                                                                                                                      
 uncontaminted seawater; boiler                                                                                                                         
 blowdown; source water and sand;                                                                                                                       
 diatomaceous earth filter media;                                                                                                                       
 excess cement slurry.                                                                                                                                  

[[Page 59704]]

                                                                                                                                                        
Miscellaneous discharges of          Treatment chemicals...  Most stringent of: EPA                                                                     
 seawater and freshwater to which                             label registration,                                                                       
 treatment chemicals have been                                maximum manufacturers                                                                     
 added: excess seawater which                                 recommended dose, or                                                                      
 permits the continuous operation                             500 mg/l                                                                                  
 of fire control and utility lift                                                                                                                       
 pumps, excess seawater from                                                                                                                            
 pressure maintenance and secondary                                                                                                                     
 recovery projects, water released                                                                                                                      
 during training of personnel in                                                                                                                        
 fire protection, seawater used to                                                                                                                      
 pressure test new piping and new                                                                                                                       
 pipelines, ballast water, once-                                                                                                                        
 through non-contact cooling water,                                                                                                                     
 desalinization unit discharge.                                                                                                                         
                                     Free oil..............  No free oil...........  1/week...............  Visible sheen........  Number of days sheen 
                                                                                                                                    observed.           
                                     Toxicity..............  48-hour average min.    Rate Dependent (*11).  Grab.................  Lowest NOEC observed 
                                                              NOEC and monthly avg                                                  for either of the   
                                                              minimum NOEC (*12).                                                   two species.        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Footnotes                                                                                                                                               
*1 When discharging.                                                                                                                                    
*2 When discharging and facility is manned. Monitoring shall be accomplished during times when observation of a visual sheen on the surface of the      
  receiving water is possible in the vicinity of the discharge.                                                                                         
*3 May be based on a single grab sample or the arithmetic average of four grab sample results collected in the 24 hr. period.                           
*4 No discharge of priority pollutants except in trace amounts. Information on the specific chemical composition shall be recorded but not reported     
  unless requested by EPA.                                                                                                                              
*5 When discharging for cement at the seafloor and blowout preventer fluid. All other miscellaneous discharges: when discharging, discharge is          
  authorized only during times when visual sheen observation is possible, unless the static sheen method is used. Uncontaminated seawater uncontaminated
  freshwater, source water and source sand, uncontaminated bilge water, and uncontaminated ballast water from platforms on automatic purge systems may  
  be discharged without monitoring from platforms which are not manned.                                                                                 
*6 BOD5 and TSS limits only apply to discharges less than 2,500 gallons per day.                                                                        
*7 Hach method CN-66 DPD approved. Minimum of 1 mg/l and maintained as close to this concentration as possible.                                         
*8 Monitoring shall be accomplished during daylight by visual observation of the surface of the receiving water in the vicinity of sanitary and domestic
  waste outfalls. Observations shall be made following either the morning or midday meals at a time of maximum estimated discharge.                     
*9 See Part I, section B.3.c. of this permit.                                                                                                           
*10 See Table 1, Appendix A.                                                                                                                            
*11 Once/year for discharges from 0 bbl/day to 499 bbl/day, once/quarter for discharges from 500 bbl/day to 4,599 bbl/day, and once/month for discharges
  of 4,600 bbl/day and greater.                                                                                                                         
*12 See Table 3, Appendix A.                                                                                                                            

[FR Doc. 97-29152 Filed 11-4-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P