Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale
Consolidated Statutes and Regulations Consolidated Statutes Consolidated Regulations Annual Statutes and Regulations Annual Statutes Annual Regulations Additional information Québec Official Publisher What’s new? Information note Policy of the Minister of Justice Laws: Amendments Laws: Provisions not in force Laws: Provisions brought into force Annual Statutes: PDF versions since 1996 Regulations: Amendments Annual Regulations: PDF versions since 1996 Court Decisions

Q-2, r. 16 - Regulation respecting the liquid effluents of petroleum refineries

Table of contents
Occurrences0
Current Version
Full text
Updated to 1 September 2012
This document has official status.
chapter Q-2, r. 16
Regulation respecting the liquid effluents of petroleum refineries
Environment Quality Act
(chapter Q-2, ss. 20, 22, 31, 46, 115.27 and 115.34).
DIVISION I
INTERPRETATION
1. Definitions: In this Regulation, unless the context indicates otherwise,
(a)  “ballast water” means water carried in a vessel for stability and seaworthiness, including water used for cargo and ballast tank cleaning;
(b)  “once-through cooling water” means water circulating only once through heat exchangers, either singly or in series, for the purpose of removing heat from hydrocarbons or treating chemicals used in the processes of a petroleum refinery and that is not intended to come into contact with the latter or with process waters;
(c)  “storm water” means water run-off that results from precipitation of any kind that falls on a petroleum refinery and on the property on which it is located, including water run-off originating from outside the said property and that passes over or through the latter;
(d)  “process water” means water intended to come into contact with hydrocarbons or treating chemicals used in the processes of a petroleum refinery;
(e)  “liquid effluent” means any waste water from a petroleum refinery, including, in particular, process water, ballast water stored at the refinery prior to loading a vessel, once-through cooling water, storm water, cooling tower blow-down, waste water, sludges from water supply treatment facilities and other sludges or water associated with the operation of a petroleum refinery and any other equipment or reservoir used for such a refinery;
(f)  “existing” means whose construction has begun or which is already in operation on 9 November 1977;
(g)  “Act” means the Environment Quality Act (chapter Q-2);
(h)  “new” means whose construction begins after 9 November 1977;
(i)  “maximum daily amount” means the maximum amount of a contaminant that a petroleum refinery is allowed to deposit in any one day per calendar month;
(j)  “average monthly amount” means the maximum daily amounts plus the daily amounts of each contaminant measured over a period of 1 calendar month in accordance with the second paragraph of section 15 and divided by the number of days on which the amounts were measured in that month;
(k)  “one day amount” means the amount of a contaminant that a petroleum refinery is allowed to deposit in water each day of a calendar month, subject to the maximum daily amount and average monthly amount determined in this Regulation;
(l)  (paragraph revoked).
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 1; O.C. 243-98, s. 1.
DIVISION II
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY
2. New refineries: In addition to the requirements prescribed in the Regulation respecting the application of the Environment Quality Act (chapter Q-2, r. 3), every application for a certificate of authorization submitted to the Minister in accordance with section 22 of the Act for the construction of a new petroleum refinery must be accompanied by a complete study of the overall impact that the carrying out of the project will have on the environment.
The study must deal with all aspects of the environment.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 2; O.C. 1529-93, s. 16.
3. An application for a certificate of authorization in respect of the construction of a new petroleum refinery shall indicate the projected daily crude oil refining capacity thereof.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 3; O.C. 1529-93, s. 17.
DIVISION III
STANDARDS RELATING TO LIQUID EFFLUENTS
4. Effluent standards: A new petroleum refinery shall not deposit in the environment liquid effluents containing oil and grease, phenols, sulfide, ammonia nitrogen and suspended matter in excess of any of the standards established in the following table, per 1,000 barrels of crude oil processed by the refinery, the whole in accordance with the refining capacity declared to the Minister pursuant to section 3, 23 or 24:


Average Maximum
monthly Daily daily
amount amount amount
Nature of contaminant (in kg) (in kg) (in kg)

Oil and grease 1.40 2.50 3.40

Phenols 0.14 0.25 0.34

Sulfide 0.05 0.14 0.23

Ammonia nitrogen 1.63 2.60 3.27

Suspended matter 3.26 5.45 6.80
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 4.
5. Alteration or increase of production: The standards set out in section 4 shall also apply to any increase of 15% or more in the production of an existing petroleum refinery in relation to the refining capacity declared to the Minister pursuant to section 22. The standards shall apply in relation to the refining capacity thus increased.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 5.
6. Existing refineries: Existing petroleum refineries shall not deposit in the environment liquid effluents containing oil and grease, phenols, sulfide, ammonia nitrogen and suspended matter in excess of any of the standards established in the following table, per 1,000 barrels of crude oil processed by the refinery, the whole in accordance with the refining capacity declared to the Minister pursuant to sections 22 to 24:


Average Maximum
monthly Daily daily
amount amount amount
Nature of contaminant (in kg) (in kg) (in kg)

Oil and grease 1.40 2.50 3.40

Phenols 0.14 0.25 0.34

Sulfides 0.05 0.14 0.23

Ammonia nitrogen 1.63 2.60 3.27

Suspended matter 4.80 5.45 6.80
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 6; O.C. 243-98, s. 2.
7. Once-through cooling water: For the application of the standard relative to the deposit of oil and grease, prescribed in section 6, the liquid effluents of an existing petroleum refinery shall not include once-through cooling water containing oil and grease in a concentration of 5 mg/1itre or less.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 7.
8. Suspended matter: The effluent standards established in sections 4 and 6 shall apply to all liquid effluents deposited in the environment by a petroleum refinery. However, a petroleum refinery may withdraw from such deposits the suspended matter contained each day in the untreated water supply of the petroleum refinery where the person responsible for that refinery measures the suspended matter in the same way and in accordance with the same frequency and terms and conditions as he measures the contaminants deposited in the environment pursuant to sections 15 to 17.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 8.
9. Storm water: In addition to sections 4 and 6, where a petroleum refinery deposits storm water and measures the flow of such water separately from that of other water contained in its liquid effluents, such refinery shall not deposit in the environment oil and grease, phenols, or suspended matter in excess of any of the standards established in the following table, added to those set out in sections 4 and 6:


Nature of Contaminants Daily Total monthly
concentration amount (in
(in mg/1itre of storm kg/1,000 barrels
water deposited) of crude oil
each day)

Oil and grease 10 11.34

Phenols 1 1.13

Suspended matter* 30 34.02

*The volatile portion only.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 9.
10. Uncontaminated water: Section 9 shall not apply to storm water which has not been contaminated by a petroleum refinery or by operations related to the operation of a refinery.
To be able to invoke the exception provided for in this section, a person responsible for a new petroleum refinery who becomes aware that the refinery deposits storm water contemplated in this section into the environment must send a notice to the Minister within 60 days following the beginning of operations at the refinery.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 10; O.C. 243-98, s. 3.
11. pH: A petroleum refinery shall not deposit in the environment a liquid effluent or storm water whose pH is not within 6.0 and 9.5.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 11.
12. Section 20 of the Act: The standards set out in sections 4, 6, 9 and 11 are established within the meaning of section 20 of the Act.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 12.
13. Waste water from sanitary facilities: Waste water originating from the sanitary facilities used by the employees of a petroleum refinery must be treated by a device for the treatment of waste water whose construction has been authorized by the Minister in accordance with the first paragraph of section 32 of the Act, unless it is deposited in a sewer system contemplated in section 21.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 13.
DIVISION IV
SUPERVISION AND TESTING
14. Measurement of pH and flow: The person responsible for a petroleum refinery shall measure continually the flow of liquid effluents deposited in the environment by that refinery.
The person responsible for a petroleum refinery shall also measure continually the pH of those liquid effluents according to the method described in Volume 2 of the Guide d’échantillonnage à des fins d’analyses environnementales published by the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 14; O.C. 243-98, s. 4.
15. Measurement of other contaminants: The person responsible for a petroleum refinery must also measure the aggregate amount of oil and grease, phenols, sulfide, ammonia nitrogen and suspended matter contained in the liquid effluents and storm water deposited in the environment by the refinery.
The contaminants contemplated in the first paragraph shall be measured on 3 non-consecutive days per week. The 3 days selected for the measurement of contaminants must always be the same, as stated in the declaration previously submitted to the Minister to that effect pursuant to section 16. The data thus obtained must be kept in a register for a period of 2 years. The register must also indicate the number of barrels of crude oil processed in the petroleum refinery on each day that the contaminants are measured.
Lastly, the person responsible for an existing petroleum refinery must, each week, for 3 non-consecutive days, measure the concentration of oil and grease present in the once-through cooling water deposited in the environment by such refinery.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 15.
16. Declaration as to measurement days: The person responsible for a new petroleum refinery must, before undertaking its operation, declare to the Minister on which days he will measure the contaminants deposited in the environment by the refinery, in accordance with section 15.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 16.
17. Sending of data: The results obtained in accordance with sections 14 and 15 must be sent to the Minister once a month, in the following month, in the form prescribed in Schedule A or by telematics or a computer medium in accordance with the sample standard format provided by the Minister.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 17; O.C. 243-98, s. 5.
18. Sampling method: The contaminants contemplated in Division III are determined on the basis of samples collected before the deposit of liquid effluents, storm water and once-through cooling water in the receiving watercourse or in the sewer system contemplated in section 21.
Composite sampling must be carried out in accordance with the method described in Volume 2 of the Guide d’échantillonnage à des fins d’analyses environnementales published by the Ministère.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 18; O.C. 243-98, s. 6.
19. Preservation of samples: Every sample collected for the purposes of this Regulation must be preserved in accordance with the method described in Volume 2 of the Guide d’échantillonnage à des fins d’analyses environnementales published by the Ministère.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 19; O.C. 243-98, s. 7.
20. Methods of analysis: The analyses required to ensure the application of this Regulation must be carried out by a laboratory accredited by the Minister under section 118.6 of the Act and in accordance with the methods described in the Liste des méthodes d’analyses relatives à l’application des règlements découlant de la Loi sur la qualité de l’environnement published by the Ministère.
Analysis reports produced by a laboratory must bear the signatures of the professionals involved, and the results must be approved by a chemist who is a member of the Ordre des chimistes du Québec.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 20; O.C. 243-98, s. 8.
21. Sewer system: The standards set forth in Division III pertaining to deposits from a petroleum refinery in the environment shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to deposits from a petroleum refinery in any municipal sewer system or any sewer system operated by a person who holds the operating permit referred to in section 32.1 of the Act, except those respecting waste water from sanitary facilities deposited separately from other liquid effluents.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 21.
22. Refining capacity: The person responsible for an existing petroleum refinery must, before 9 January 1978, inform the Minister of the daily refining capacity of crude oil in the refinery.
The daily refining capacity of an existing petroleum refinery is the highest average daily amount of crude oil actually refined during 7 consecutive days in the 2 years preceding 9 November 1977.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 22.
23. Increase in refining capacity: The person responsible for a petroleum refinery may change the declaration submitted pursuant to section 3, 22 or 24 as often as he wishes in cases where an increase has occurred in the average daily amount of crude oil actually refined during 7 consecutive days. The new daily refining capacity thus declared becomes effective on the first day of the month in which it has been declared.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 23.
24. Decrease in refining capacity: The person responsible for a petroleum refinery must change the declaration submitted pursuant to section 3, 22 or 23 in cases where the average daily amount, during at least 2 consecutive months, is lower by 15% as compared to the refining capacity previously declared, excluding the days where the decrease in refining is attributable to the maintenance of the petroleum refinery.
The daily refining capacity thus decreased is the highest average daily amount of crude oil actually refined during 14 consecutive days in the 2 months referred to in the first paragraph.
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, s. 24.
MONTHLY REPORT ON THE WASTE WATER FROM A PETROLEUM REFINERY
Petroleum refinery operated by ___________________________________________
and situated at ___________________________________________________________________
Month of____________________________________________________________________20 _____
Refining capacity declared: ________________________________________________MB*/day
Date of the declaration respecting the refining capacity: ______________________________20 _____
Amount of crude oil refined
— current month ________________________________________________________________MB*
day of production _______________________________________________________________
— preceding month ______________________________________________________________MB*
day of production _______________________________________________________________
— average for 2 months ___________________________________________________MB*/dp**
TABLE OF ACTUAL DEPOSITS

_________________________________________________________________________________
| | | | | |
| | flow measurement | | | |
| | (million | suspended | deposits measured (in kg/day) | |
| | litres/day) | matter in | | |
| |__________________| water supply |_______________________________________| |
|date| | | | | | | | | |
| | liquid | storm | | oil |phenols|sulfide|NH3-N|suspended |pH|
| |effluent| water | | | | | | matter | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | | | | | | | | | |
|____|________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | | | |
| AVERAGE | | | | | | | | |
|_____________|_________|______________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
TABLE OF DEPOSITS AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO THIS REGULATION

_________________________________________________________________________________
| | | | | | | |
| | oil |phenols|sulfide|NH3-N|suspended |pH|
| | | | | | matter | |
|______________________________________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | |
| monthly amount | | | | | | |
|______________________________________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | |
| average daily amount | | | | | | |
|______________________________________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
| | | | | | | |
| maximum daily amount | | | | | | |
|______________________________________|______|_______|_______|_____|__________|__|
*MB: thousand barrels
**dp: days of production
I certify that this declaration is true and exact.
_____________________________________
(name of refinery)
signature: _______________________________
title: ___________________________________
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6, Sch. A.
REFERENCES
R.R.Q., 1981, c. Q-2, r. 6
O.C. 1529-93, 1993 G.O. 2, 5996
O.C. 243-98, 1998 G.O. 2, 1285
© Gouvernement du Québec