Pipeline Safety: Grant of Waiver; BOC Gases, 56525 [05-19199]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 186 / Tuesday, September 27, 2005 / Notices Issued in Washington, DC, on September 21, 2005. Theodore L. Willke, Deputy Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety. [FR Doc. 05–19198 Filed 9–26–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–60–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No. PHMSA–05–21314; Notice 2] Pipeline Safety: Grant of Waiver; BOC Gases Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Grant of Waiver; BOC Gases. AGENCY: SUMMARY: BOC Gases (BOC) petitioned PHMSA for a waiver from the pipeline safety standards at 49 CFR 195.306(c)(5) to allow the use of inert gas or carbon dioxide as the test medium for pressure testing its existing carbon dioxide pipeline. The hazardous liquid pipeline safety regulation at 49 CFR 195.306(c)(5) allows an operator of a carbon dioxide pipeline to use inert gas or carbon dioxide as the test medium if the pipe involved is new pipe having a longitudinal joint factor of 1.00. BOC is requesting the waiver to use carbon dioxide as the test medium in its carbon dioxide pipeline system. The BOC carbon dioxide pipeline system is approximately 14 miles northwest of Green River, Wyoming and located in Sweetwater County. (The County is a remote, uninhabited area that does not lie within any city or other populated limits.) The pipeline was constructed in February 1995 and is 7 miles in length. The line is constructed of 3.5-inch diameter, American Petroleum Institute (API) API 5L, Grade B seamless pipe, and has a wall thickness of 0.300inches. BOC calculated the pipe’s internal design pressure to be 4,320 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) using the formula in § 195.106 and pressure tested the pipe after construction. The minimum pressure was 3,575 psig and the pipe was tested for 2 hours. The pipeline is effectively coated and has had a sacrificial anode cathodic protection system since its construction. In justification for this waiver, BOC proposed the following testing procedure: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Aug<31>2005 14:52 Sep 26, 2005 Jkt 205001 • BOC will use liquid carbon dioxide to pressure test the entire 7 mile pipeline; • BOC will maintain a minimum test pressure of 3,575 psig or 60% of the pipeline’s specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) for at least 4 hours; • BOC will test the pipeline for an additional 4 hours at a minimum pressure of 3,146 psig or 48% of SMYS; • BOC will station personnel along the pipeline to observe any conditions which might indicate leakage during the test; • BOC personnel will be in constant communication with its personnel who will supervise and conduct the pressure test; and • BOC’s building facilities will be unoccupied and its personnel will be stationed along the pipeline where it parallels the State highway whenever the test pressure exceeds 50% SMYS during the pressure test. BOC asserts that this pipeline does not pose a risk to the public or the environment because it is in a remote location, in excellent condition, and will be tested and operated at a low percentage of SMYS. After reviewing the waiver request, PHMSA published a notice inviting interested persons to comment on whether a waiver should be granted (70 FR 40780; July 14, 2005). No comments were received from the public in response to the notice. For the reasons explained above and in the July 14, 2005 Notice, PHMSA finds that the requested waiver is not inconsistent with pipeline safety and that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved. Therefore, BOC’s request for waiver of compliance from 49 CFR 195.306(c)(5) is granted on the condition that BOC follow its proposed testing procedure for testing its carbon dioxide pipeline system. Issued in Washington, DC on September 21, 2005. Theodore L. Willke, Deputy Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety. [FR Doc. 05–19199 Filed 9–26–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–60–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [STB Finance Docket No. 34729] Saginaw Bay Southern Railway Company—Acquisition and Operation Exemption—Rail Line of CSX Transportation, Inc. Saginaw Bay Southern Railway Company (SBS), a noncarrier, has filed PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 56525 a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire and operate approximately 67 miles of rail line owned by CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) in Bay, Saginaw, Genesee, and Midland Counties, MI, as follows: (1) From milepost CC 0.0 at the Saginaw Station to milepost CC 26.2 at the Mt. Morris Station; (2) from milepost CB 0.0 at the Saginaw Station to milepost CB 17.37 at the Midland Station; (3) from milepost CBB 0.0 at the Saginaw Station to milepost CBB 16.7 at the Essexville Station; (4) from milepost CBC 0.0 to milepost CBC 2.0 both at the Saginaw Station; (5) from milepost CBD 2.2 to milepost CBD 4.5 both at the Saginaw Station; (6) from milepost CSF 0.0 to milepost CSF 0.82 both at the Saginaw Station; and (7) from milepost CBE 7.72 to milepost CBE 10.09 both at the Paines Station. Under this transaction, SBS will purchase the track along the line from CSXT and will lease the underlying right-of-way. SBS plans to provide service over the line through the use of a contract operator, Lake State Railway Company, although only SBS will hold responsibility for providing common carrier rail service over the line. SBS certifies that its projected revenues will not exceed those that would qualify it as a Class III carrier. However, because the projected annual revenues of the rail line to be operated will exceed $5 million following consummation of this transaction, SBS has certified to the Board, on August 19, 2005, as amended August 26, 2005, that it posted the required notice of its rail line acquisition at the workplace of the employees of CSXT and served the notice on the national offices of all labor unions with employees on the affected line. See 49 CFR 1150.32(e). The transaction is expected to be consummated on or after October 28, 2005 (which is 60 days or more after SBS’ certification to the Board that it had complied with the Board’s regulation at 49 CFR 1150.32(e)). This transaction is related to STB Finance Docket No. 34730, James George and J&JG Holding Company, Inc.—Continuance in Control Exemption—Saginaw Bay Southern Railway Company, wherein James George and J&JG Holding Company, Inc. seek authorization through a petition for exemption, to continue in control of SBS upon SBS’ becoming a Class III rail carrier. If the notice contains false or misleading information, the exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of E:\FR\FM\27SEN1.SGM 27SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 27, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 56525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19199]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-05-21314; Notice 2]


Pipeline Safety: Grant of Waiver; BOC Gases

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Grant of Waiver; BOC Gases.

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SUMMARY: BOC Gases (BOC) petitioned PHMSA for a waiver from the 
pipeline safety standards at 49 CFR 195.306(c)(5) to allow the use of 
inert gas or carbon dioxide as the test medium for pressure testing its 
existing carbon dioxide pipeline.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The hazardous liquid pipeline safety 
regulation at 49 CFR 195.306(c)(5) allows an operator of a carbon 
dioxide pipeline to use inert gas or carbon dioxide as the test medium 
if the pipe involved is new pipe having a longitudinal joint factor of 
1.00.
    BOC is requesting the waiver to use carbon dioxide as the test 
medium in its carbon dioxide pipeline system. The BOC carbon dioxide 
pipeline system is approximately 14 miles northwest of Green River, 
Wyoming and located in Sweetwater County. (The County is a remote, 
uninhabited area that does not lie within any city or other populated 
limits.) The pipeline was constructed in February 1995 and is 7 miles 
in length. The line is constructed of 3.5-inch diameter, American 
Petroleum Institute (API) API 5L, Grade B seamless pipe, and has a wall 
thickness of 0.300-inches.
    BOC calculated the pipe's internal design pressure to be 4,320 
pounds per square inch gauge (psig) using the formula in Sec.  195.106 
and pressure tested the pipe after construction. The minimum pressure 
was 3,575 psig and the pipe was tested for 2 hours. The pipeline is 
effectively coated and has had a sacrificial anode cathodic protection 
system since its construction.
    In justification for this waiver, BOC proposed the following 
testing procedure:
     BOC will use liquid carbon dioxide to pressure test the 
entire 7 mile pipeline;
     BOC will maintain a minimum test pressure of 3,575 psig or 
60% of the pipeline's specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) for at 
least 4 hours;
     BOC will test the pipeline for an additional 4 hours at a 
minimum pressure of 3,146 psig or 48% of SMYS;
     BOC will station personnel along the pipeline to observe 
any conditions which might indicate leakage during the test;
     BOC personnel will be in constant communication with its 
personnel who will supervise and conduct the pressure test; and
     BOC's building facilities will be unoccupied and its 
personnel will be stationed along the pipeline where it parallels the 
State highway whenever the test pressure exceeds 50% SMYS during the 
pressure test.
    BOC asserts that this pipeline does not pose a risk to the public 
or the environment because it is in a remote location, in excellent 
condition, and will be tested and operated at a low percentage of SMYS.
    After reviewing the waiver request, PHMSA published a notice 
inviting interested persons to comment on whether a waiver should be 
granted (70 FR 40780; July 14, 2005). No comments were received from 
the public in response to the notice.
    For the reasons explained above and in the July 14, 2005 Notice, 
PHMSA finds that the requested waiver is not inconsistent with pipeline 
safety and that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved. 
Therefore, BOC's request for waiver of compliance from 49 CFR 
195.306(c)(5) is granted on the condition that BOC follow its proposed 
testing procedure for testing its carbon dioxide pipeline system.

    Issued in Washington, DC on September 21, 2005.
Theodore L. Willke,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 05-19199 Filed 9-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
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