Jerguson® Low-Emission Safety Ballcheck Valves: API 624 & LDAR Compliance

Power plants, chemical plants, and refineries have a large number of potential leak sources that can release harmful fugitive emissions (FEs) into the environment. This creates real risk on multiple fronts: environmental damage, exposure of plant personnel to harmful gases and vapors, and economic impacts from lost product.

As a result, regulations are becoming increasingly strict, and many facilities are proactively requiring that any valves procured for future maintenance and repair projects meet low-emission standards.

The Solution: API 624 and ISO 15848 Certified Valves

The Jerguson® 60LE, 70L, and 70 Series Valves are certified to API 624, and the Jerguson® 360 Series Valves are certified to both API 624 and ISO 15848. Clark-Reliance offers a wide range of low-emission valve solutions for any glass gage application, and as certified low-emission valves, these products prevent volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from being released into the atmosphere.

What API 624 Actually Tests

API 624 — "Type Testing of Rising Stem Valves Equipped with Graphite Packing for Fugitive Emissions" — was published by the American Petroleum Institute in 2014 to address stem-sealing performance specifically in rising and rising-rotating stem valves (including gate, globe, and similar designs).

The Test Parameters:

• Test medium: Methane (minimum 97% purity)

• Mechanical cycling: 310 mechanical cycles

• Thermal cycling: Three thermal cycles, from ambient up to 500°F (260°C), with an optional additional cycle at -20°F for facilities requiring low-temperature qualification

• Maximum test pressure: 600 PSI

• Allowable leakage: 100 ppmv (parts per million by volume) maximum — based on EPA Method 21 methodology

• No adjustments allowed: Stem seal adjustments are not permitted during testing, meaning the valve must maintain its seal integrity through the full cycle count without intervention

The packing used in an API 624-tested valve must have been previously qualified under API 622 (the packing-specific test standard). This means API 624 evaluates the complete valve design and its stem seal performance under realistic mechanical and thermal stress — not just the packing material in isolation.

What ISO 15848 Adds

ISO 15848 is the international counterpart standard for fugitive emissions testing, commonly referenced in facilities operating under European regulatory frameworks or working with international engineering specifications. It covers classification and qualification procedures for testing valve types, providing a comparable framework to API 624 with some differences in test medium and specific parameters (ISO testing often uses helium rather than methane).

A valve certified to both API 624 and ISO 15848, like the Jerguson 360 Series, gives facilities compliance coverage across both American and international low-emission valve specifications — relevant for multinational operators or facilities specifying equipment against global engineering standards.

Why This Matters: LDAR Program Integration

When used as part of a comprehensive Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program, Jerguson low-emission valves can contribute to several concrete benefits:

• Reducing product losses — less fugitive emission means less lost commodity

• Increasing safety for facility workers and operators handling equipment near potential leak points

• Decreasing exposure for the surrounding community near facility boundaries

• Potentially reducing emission fees, depending on jurisdiction and permit structure

• Avoiding enforcement actions tied to fugitive emissions violations

LDAR programs are a standard regulatory compliance framework across the oil, gas, and chemical processing sectors — facilities are required to periodically monitor components for leaks and repair or replace those exceeding allowable thresholds. Specifying low-emission certified valves from the outset reduces the number of components likely to trigger repair actions during LDAR monitoring cycles.

Valve Selection: Which Series Fits Your Application

Valve Series	Certification	Best For
60LE	API 624	Standard low-emission applications on glass gage installations
70L / 70 Series	API 624	Broader range of glass gage safety ballcheck applications
360 Series	API 624 + ISO 15848	Facilities requiring dual American/international certification, plus the added visual status indication and metal-seated design covered in our companion article

Applications

Low-emission certified ballcheck valves are particularly relevant for:

• Refining: Facilities subject to strict EPA and state-level fugitive emissions regulations

• Chemical Processing: Plants handling VOCs and other regulated compounds

• Power Generation: Facilities with comprehensive environmental compliance programs

• Any Facility Under LDAR Requirements: Where proactive low-emission valve specification reduces ongoing monitoring and repair burden

Learn More

To manage your facility's environmental impact while protecting personnel and minimizing costs associated with lost commodities, contact Clark-Reliance's technical team with your low-emission valve specification questions.