Petroleum Sector (NAICS 324)

The petroleum sector covers the petroleum refining industry which includes the production of petroleum products through distillation and fraction of crude oil, redistillation of unfinished derivations, cracking or other processes.

Read more about sectors at the US Census Bureau NAICS site.

Laws and Regulations

• Air:
  • Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program
  • National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP):
    • Asphalt Processing and Asphalt Roofing Manufacturing
    • Benzene Waste Operations
    • Coke Ovens: Pushing, Quenching,& Battery Stacks
    • Coke Ovens (Charging, Top Side, and Door Leaks)
    • Gasoline Dispensing and Distribution (Area and Major Sources)
    • Hazardous Waste Combustion
    • Industrial Cooling Towers
    • Organic Liquids Distribution (non-gasoline)
    • Petroleum Refineries
    • Petroleum Refineries (Catalytic Cracking, Catalytic Reforming, Sulfur Plant Units, Associated Bypass Lines)
    • Site Remediation
• Emergencies:
  • Discharge of Oil Regulation Overview: also known as the "sheen rule." Framework for determining whether an oil spill to inland and coastal waters and/or their adjoining shorelines should be reported to the federal government.
  • Oil Pollution Act Overview
  • Oil Pollution Prevention Regulation Overview
  • Oil Program: Laws and Regulations: EPA's emergency response program for health and environmental threats posed by inadvertent releases of oil and hazardous substances
  • SPCC Rule: includes requirements for oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response to prevent oil discharges to navigable waters and adjoining shorelines.
• Water:
  • Effluent Guidelines for Oil and Gas Extraction (Synthetic-Based Drilling Fluids) 

Compliance

• Combustion Portal : compliance assistance center.
• Petroleum Sector Compliance Assistance: sector profiles and assistance centers. 

Enforcement

• National Enforcement Initiatives: Assuring Energy Extraction Activities Comply with Environmental Laws
• Petroleum Refinery National Initiative Case Results

Policies and Guidance

• Benzene National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Handbook for Subparts FF and BB (PDF) (44 pp, 269 K)
• Emergency Management: Policy & Guidance: includes guidance on the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule
• Petroleum Refinery MACT Standard Guidance (PDF)  (125 pp, 1094 K)

Related Business Sectors

• Oil and Gas Extraction Sector

Related Technical Information

• AP 42 - Chapter 5: Petroleum Industry: emission factors and process information for air pollution source categories.

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