US regulators to expand 'Bakken Blitz' to identify chemical makeup
of shale oil
Washington (Platts)--2Jan2014/224 pm EST/1924 GMT
US regulators said Thursday they will widen their study of crude
originating from the prolific Bakken Shale formation to try and
understand what makes the oil more flammable than other crudes.
The US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said that
the preliminary results of its "Bakken Blitz" inspection to ensure that
the shale oil is being properly classified and described prior to
transport has shown that further testing is necessary.
"Recent derailments and resulting fires indicate that the type of crude
oil being transported from the Bakken region may be more flammable than
traditional heavy crude oil," the PHMSA said in its preliminary guidance
from its ongoing inspection operation, formally known as "Operation
Classification."
The operation, conducted jointly with the Federal Railroad
Administration, initially focused on whether companies offering Bakken
crude for sale are properly classifying it for shipment based on its
chemical properties. The most flammable crudes, for instance, are
classified as Class III, Packing Group 1, meaning the material is
flammable and has a very low flash point.
The crude contained in the DOT-111 tank cars that caught fire earlier
this week in North Dakota were classified as being Class III, Packing
Group 1, an NTSB official said on December 31.
"Nonetheless, the agencies have found it necessary to expand the scope
of their testing to measure other factors that would affect the proper
characterization and classification of the materials," PHMSA said in its
report Thursday. "PHMSA expects to have final test results in the near
future for the gas content, corrosivity, toxicity, flammability and
certain other characteristics of the Bakken crude oil, which should more
clearly inform the proper characterization of the material."
The PHMSA said that, based on its preliminary field inspections at train
terminals in the Bakken Shale region, it has "expanded the scope of lab
testing to include other factors that affect proper characterization and
classification such as Reid Vapor Pressure, corrosivity, hydrogen
sulfide content and composition/concentration of the entrained gases in
the material.
"The results of this expanded testing will further inform shippers and
carriers about how to ensure that the materials are known and are
properly described, classified, and characterized when being shipped."
A deeper understanding of any of the "unique hazards" of the Bakken
crude will enable shippers, sellers, first responders, and federal
agencies to identify any "appropriate mitigating measures that need to
be taken to ensure the continued safe transportation of these
materials," PHMSA said.
--Gary Gentile, gary.gentile@platts.com --Edited by Derek Sands,
derek.sands@platts.com
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