Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals, L.P. (SPMT)

Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals, L.P. (SPMT) in Marcus Hook is a storage, purification, and distribution facility of natural gas liquids.

The Marcus Hook facility was a petroleum refining plant previously owned and operated by Sunoco Inc (R&M). The plant terminated its operations in 2011 and SPMT acquired the idled Marcus Hook refinery in early 2013. The site was redeveloped into a hub for natural gas liquids (NGLs) on the US East Coast. Ethane, propane, and butane make up these various NGLs, which are received via pipeline from the Marcellus Shale region and are stored, processed, and distributed to local, regional, and international markets.

Permit/Plan Approval Specifics

The SPMT facility is currently permitted under several Plan Approvals and a Title V Operating Permit (TVOP). A plan approval is required for the construction, shakedown, and/or performance testing of most projects that take place at this facility, while an operating permit is required for the continued operation of the air emission sources.

The TVOP consolidates applicable regulations and plan approvals into one document. It does not adopt any new regulations.

The unincorporated Plan Approvals include:

• 23-0119D (continuing/completing the installation of several refrigerated storage tanks, a cooling tower, necessary piping, one new cold flare and one modified cold flare); and
• 23-0119E (currently under the Environmental Hearing Board’s EHB’s ruling for DEP to revisit and aggregate with all associated projects as they pertain to Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and/or New Source Review (NSR) regulations).

On October 7, 2019, DEP issued a TVOP that:

• Amended the TVOP by incorporating Plan Approval 23-0119H for the continued operation of the West Warm Flare
• Approved a Minor Operating Permit Modification to reduce the aggregate potential emissions of carbon monoxide from the three auxiliary boilers.
  • Administrative Amendment Application
  • Amended and Modified TVOP
  • Issuance Letter to Permittee
  • Technical review memo

The following applications are still under review by DEP:

• Plan Approval Number 23-0119E which addresses the EHB’s Adjudication (July 29, 2019). DEP received a complete Plan Approval application package for revised Plan Approval No. 23-0119E from SPMT. The revised application was submitted as required by the EHB to reevaluate the sources and equipment permitted or authorized under Plan Approval Nos. 23-0119 through 23-0119E, Requests for Determination of Changes of Minor Significance and Exemption from Plan Approval/Operating Permit (RFDs), and future projects related to the NGLs processing, storage, and distribution operations at the facility. The reevaluation was conducted as a single aggregated project to determine the applicability of PSD and NSR requirements.
  • 23-0119E Draft Plan Approval
  • 23-0119E Technical Review Memo

• Plan Approval Number 23-0119J (July 29, 2019). This application is similar to, and replaces the previously submitted project under Plan Approval Number 23-0119I. Plan Approval No. 23-0119J. DEP received a complete Plan Approval application package for Plan Approval No. 23-0119J (“Project Phoenix”) from SPMT. The proposed project includes the installation of:
  • Two new 600,000-bbl refrigerated ethane storage tanks;
  • One new amine treatment system;
  • One new dehydration train system;
  • Two new refrigeration systems;
  • Two new demethanizers;
  • Two new wet surface air cooling (WSAC) systems;
  • One new elevated, air-assisted Cold Flare; and
  • Various piping connections and components.
    • 23-0119J Draft Plan Approval
    • 23-0119J Technical Review Memo

Public Participation

To prevent the possible spread of COVID-19, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has canceled the public hearing scheduled for April 2, 2020 to gather public input regarding its intent to issue two draft Air Quality Plan Approvals to Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals, L.P. (SPMT) for its facilities at the Marcus Hook Industrial Complex in Marcus Hook Borough, Delaware County. The hearing was advertised in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, via a press release, and on the project webpage.

Interested individuals are invited to submit written comments, suggestions, support, or objections regarding the draft Plan Approvals, which must be received by April 12, 2020 at 11:59 PM. Written comments should be mailed to the Air Quality Program, 2 E. Main Street, Norristown, PA, 19401. Comments may also be submitted online at RA-epSEROaqpubcom@pa.gov with the subject designating which draft Plan Approval the comment is intended for. All comments, whether submitted in writing or delivered at hearings carry equal weight.