Monitoring Groups

Use the Monitoring Group form to set up groups of components that are monitored together. For example, set up a monitoring group of all components that must be monitored quarterly or all components that must be visually inspected weekly. Monitoring groups may contain different types of components, such as valves and pumps, but typically the group is centered around a common monitoring frequency.

Using monitoring groups is the most efficient way to schedule monitoring or visual inspections. Once a monitoring group is set up, simply add it to a run when the components are due for monitoring or inspection. The composition of the groups will rarely change and any new components that are entered in the system will become part of the group if they meet the criteria used to set up the group.

Build a new Tag Filter query or use an existing one to select the components that belong to a monitoring group. Filters that are useful for setting up monitoring groups include:

• Regulation

• Compliance Method

• Area

• Subarea

• Equipment category

• Chemical state

• Monitoring Frequency

• Visual Regulation

• Installation Date

• Previous Leakers Monitoring History

Assign a name to the group such as "First Quarter Monitoring"' once the Tag Filter is built. Then, choose an option for how the system should determine whether the components in the monitoring group are in compliance.

Leak Definition Options

A "worst case" leak definitions option can be used to determine compliance. The system compares the lowest leak definition from a component's applicable regulations to the component's adjusted reading. For example, if a valve was subject to both NSPS and HON, the first regulation might specify a leak definition of 10,000 ppm, while the second specifies 500 ppm. In this example, the system will use 500 ppm, which will comply with both applicable regulations.

Specify equipment category-specific leak definitions as a different option. Provide different leak definitions for each category of component that was assigned to the monitoring group and indicate to which chemical state the leak definition applies. For example, assign pumps and valves to the same monitoring group. Indicate that the leak definition for pumps in light liquid is 500 ppm, but the leak definition for valves in heavy liquid is 10,000 ppm. This option allows stricter leak definitions than those imposed by regulations.  

Tip:  Override these options and use one default leak definition for the entire run by adding a monitoring group to a run.

Enter leak definitions if you are setting up a monitoring group for a visual inspection run; the system allows entry of actual instrument readings during the same run, so a leak definition is required to determine the components' compliance.

To set up monitoring groups

1. Click Data Entry > Monitor Run Information> Monitoring Groups in the Navigation Tree.
   
   The Monitoring Groups list is displayed.

2. Click the New button.
   
   The Monitoring Group form is displayed.

3. Select an Enterprise Entity from the list.
   
   If a entity is not listed, click the Ellipsis button to add it on the Enterprise Entity form. Be sure to select Emission Entity as the entity designation.

4. Enter a Group Name and a corresponding Description for the monitoring group.

5. Select a Tag Filter from the list to use to create the group.
   
   If the applicable Tag Filter is not listed, click the Ellipsis button to add it.

6. Expand the Leak Definition section, if necessary, and use the following guidelines to specify the leak definition option:

1. • Use Leak Definition from Regulations Assigned to Tags - uses the leak definitions from the regulations that apply to the components in the monitoring group. Select this option when applicable and skip to step 12.

   • Define Group Specific Leak Definitions - uses a default leak definition in ppm for the group and any additional definitions for equipment categories in the same group. Select this option when applicable and continue to step 7.

7. Enter the Default Leak Definition in ppm.

8. Click Add Leak Definition to open the Group Leak Definition form. (If there are no additional leak definitions to enter, skip to step 12.)

9. Select and Equipment Category and Chemical State from the list.

10. Specify the Leak Definition and click OK.
    
    The leak definition is displayed as a line item in the Leak Definition section on the Monitoring Group form. Edit existing leak definitions using the buttons adjacent to the line item.

11. Repeat steps 8 through 10 to add additional leak definitions for the same or different equipment categories.

12. Click the Save button on the Monitoring Group form.

13. Repeat steps 2 through 12 to add other monitoring groups.