US inspectors fan out to examine crude-carrying rail cars in 'Bakken Blitz'

Washington (Platts)--29Aug2013/123 pm EDT/1723 GMT

US government inspectors have been dispatched to examine rail cars carrying crude from the Bakken shale to determine whether the cars contain the type and grade of oil indicated on shipping papers, the head of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said Thursday.

The effort, dubbed the "Bakken Blitz," was launched last weekend with the Federal Railroad Administration.

"We are doing what we call a 'Bakken Blitz,'" PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman told reporters during a break at an emergency meeting of the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee in Washington. The group met Thursday to discuss regulatory areas that need to be examined in the wake of July 6 accident that occurred when an unattended train owned by Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railroad and carrying crude oil rolled into the town of Lac-Megantic, Quebec. A number of the crude oil tank cars derailed, resulting in several explosions and multiple fires that killed at least 42 people and caused extensive damage to the town.

"FRA and PHMSA together are going out with our inspection teams as we speak looking at crude in these cars and measuring them and ensuring that the quality of the crude that is being carried is what the shipping papers say it is," she said.

A Department of Transportation spokeswoman later clarified that the inspections are being made to verify that crude oil is being properly classified in accordance with federal rules.

"'Operation Classification' primarily involves shipments from the Bakken and activities include unannounced spot inspections, data collection and sampling as well as verifying compliance with federal safety regulations," PHMSA spokeswoman Jeannie Layson said in a statement. "These activities are underway and taking place at strategic terminal and transloading locations that service crude oil."

Planning for the inspections started in March following FRA audits and PHMSA field observations that found inconsistencies with crude oil classification, the agencies said.

The content of rail cars carrying crude is an issue in the Lac-Megantic investigation. Bakken crudes tend to be lighter and thus more volatile than other grades.

"That explosion in Lac-Megantic was very unusual for crude," FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo said. "Generally speaking, most grades of crude would not be that volatile."

"Our big concern at the moment is what is in the tank car is what people say is in the tank car because there are certain requirements they have to meet if the flash point is different from what the regulations say. For example, they should have a safety and security plan if they are shipping something that is extremely volatile, which means they should be taking into account already some of the issues we're talking about today, including securement ... ."

The Railroad Safety Advisory Committee, which includes 60 members from 39 organizations, representing railroads, labor, manufacturers, state organizations and others, has been asked to examine current rules in light of the Lac-Megantic disaster.

The group will look at issues such as whether trains carrying hazardous materials should be allowed to operate with one-man crews, as was the case with the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic train that crashed.

Other issues include how to properly secure trains that are left unattended and whether trains carrying certain hazardous loads should be left unattended at all.

The group has been asked to split into working groups and report back to the FRA with recommendations next April.

--Gary Gentile, gary.gentile@platts.com
--Edited by Jeff Barber, jeff.barber@platts.com

 

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