LDAR Program Design
Precision Over Promises™
Whether you're standing up a program from scratch, replacing one that isn't working, or hardening an existing program ahead of a consent decree or inspection — we build LDAR programs that hold up.
When You'd Engage Us for Program Design
Most operators come to program design work in one of four situations. New construction or acquisition: a facility coming online needs a program built before first monitoring round. Regulatory shift: OOOOb or OOOOc applicability has changed what your existing program must cover. Discovered weakness: an internal audit, near-miss, or consultant review has surfaced gaps that compound risk. Or a consent decree, NOV, or major inspection finding has imposed requirements your current program wasn't designed for.
In all four scenarios, the work product is the same: a complete, defensible, documented LDAR program your operations team can execute and your compliance team can defend.
Many were assembled by previous personnel from boilerplate templates, never tied rigorously to the specific subparts that apply, and have drifted further from compliance as personnel turned over. Replacing that with something defensible is the most valuable investment most operators can make.
What Program Design Delivers
A complete engagement produces seven deliverables. Each is a working document, not a one-time deliverable that sits in a binder.
Applicability Determination
Written assessment identifying which federal subparts, state rules, consent decrees, and Title V conditions apply to which equipment. The foundation document that survives personnel changes and audits.
Component Inventory & Tagging
Physical walk-down, P&ID reconciliation, durable tags, GPS or zone coordinates, categorization by service and rule applicability. Every regulated component identified.
Written LDAR Plan
Procedures for monitoring, leak repair, recordkeeping, training, calibration, management of change. Mapped paragraph-by-paragraph to applicable rules. The document the inspector asks for first.
Monitoring Schedule & Routes
Documented monitoring frequencies by component category. Route planning for efficient field execution. Skip-period eligibility tracking. Integration with shutdown and turnaround schedules.
Database Specification & Implementation
Selection or configuration of an LDAR database. We work in all the major systems — CNTRAL, Skybridge, EHS Tracks, Chateau — and still know the older platforms like FEMS, LeakDAS, and Guideware if you're running one of those. No vendor preference; we adapt to your stack. Data dictionary, audit trails, report generation, integration with maintenance work order systems.
Training Curriculum & Records
Role-specific training for technicians, maintenance, and operations staff. Documented curriculum, attendance records, competency verification. Refresher schedules tied to the calendar.
Compliance Calendar
Every required submission, certification, monitoring round, calibration check, and audit event on a single calendar with assigned owners and lead-time alerts. The thing that prevents stipulated penalty events from missed deadlines.
How an Engagement Runs
Typical timeline 90 to 180 days from kickoff to first executed monitoring round, depending on site size and starting condition.
Discovery & site walk
Site visit, document review, interviews with operations, maintenance, EHS. Identify what exists, what doesn't, and what's wrong with what does.
Applicability & inventory
Written applicability determination. Component walk-down and tagging. P&ID reconciliation. Service and category assignments. Data structure built.
Plan drafting & database build
Written LDAR plan, monitoring schedule, route planning, database configuration. Iterated with your team for fit. Compliance calendar populated.
Training & readiness
Training delivered to all roles. Calibration procedures verified. Dry-run monitoring round to test the workflow before it counts.
First live round & handoff
First executed monitoring round with our oversight. Quality review of the records produced. Lessons captured into the program. Handoff to your team for ongoing execution.
Common Questions
Can we keep our existing LDAR contractor and just have you fix the program?
Yes. We are vendor-neutral on field execution. We can design a program your existing contractor executes — or recommend alternatives if their capabilities don't match the rebuilt program. We do not push proprietary technology.
Do you have a preferred database platform?
No. We work with all major LDAR databases including Leak DAS, GLD, Inspectorio, Enviance, custom SQL implementations, and emerging platforms. Selection depends on your existing IT ecosystem, scale, and reporting requirements — not our preference.
What does program design cost?
Highly variable. Single-unit programs at small facilities start in the mid five figures. Multi-unit refinery or chemical plant programs scale into six figures, particularly when consent decree requirements are involved. We provide fixed-fee proposals after a scoping call.
Do you provide ongoing support after the program is built?
Yes. Common ongoing engagements include quarterly compliance reviews, semiannual report preparation, training refreshers, and on-call consultation for unusual situations. Or we hand off cleanly and you run it — your call.
What if we're already mid-stream in a regulatory action?
Then we coordinate closely with your environmental counsel. The program design becomes part of your corrective action narrative, which often supports penalty mitigation. Timing and sequencing matter; we adjust scope to your situation.
Time to Build a Program That Actually Works?
A 30-minute scoping call tells us whether we're the right fit and gives you a concrete read on what your situation requires.