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Trains News Wire FLASH: Pipeline regulators issue safety alert for Bakken crude
This is very disturbing, the relative large number of oil-train related disasters, the railroads and regulators need to get to the bottom of this sooner than later.
It does seem that there is something wrong with the crude from the Dakotas. This is not just a railroad issue, but a truck, barge, pipeline, and refinery issue.
Wasn’t the US Nov 20 advisory issued as a result of the Lac Mégantic explosions of US crude oil? Jointly with Canada.
Will there be any charges filled against the shippers? They are putting the lives of railroad employees, those that live along railways and first responders at risk.
I hope the regular media picks up on this. Right now rails are taking the heat. The onus of taking part if not all of the blame is on the shoulders of the oil and gas companies: it has to be known by the public that they did not inform the rail industry of the instability, variability, and volatility of Bakken oil. I am sure the the Maine and Atlantic railroad would not have tied down cars of this stuff at all or without further steps if they were notified by the shippers of its characteristics instead of causing Lac Magantic’s explosion. The better quality and fortified tank cars have to be used, first responders notified, etc. But the shippers have to take the responsibility. I am sure if the AAR or any of the railroads involved in these moves were notified, while the dangers would not have gone away, but the operations would have been made more safely.
Not unexpected. Especially after the demonstrated flammability.
Good idea. It’s a far cry from when I was a yard clerk in the late 60s. Waybills for tank cars would often list “chemicals NOIBN” as the contents. NOIBN stood for “not otherwise indicated by name”… This is why we have “gov’mint regulations”.
Good to hear it is being classified more properly. Perhaps in Lac-Megantic the tank cars would not have ruptured (or the accident may not have been as severe if they DID rupture) if it was classified properly and put into stronger tank cars designed for more dangerous chemicals and products. Hopefully with the new classification the oil will be put into the newer, stronger, puncture-resistant tank cars that will be less likely to rupture in an accident in the future.
As a retired first responder I can attest to the fact that we rarely had an inkling of what pipelines were in our area let alone whatever was flowing through them. We did however have considerable cross training with the railroad in our area.
I still believe hauling this crude by truck and by rail is far safer than building a pipeline. If a pipeline leaks, ruptures, or explodes, it could have a cascading effect on the entire pipeline system. Leaks in remote areas rarely inspected could go for long periods of time without being checked. There is also a big danger if the pipeline were built through areas prone to wildfires. Why spend taxpayer money for a pipeline when the existing infrastructure of railroads and highways can do the job, which can contain leaks or spills to a localized area? Money for a new pipeline would be more wisely spent on research for handling and hauling crude more safely through existing methods than to build an entirely new infrastructure which could be suspect to cause a major catastrophe for hundreds of miles long. The pipeline is not about safety and jobs for the people, it’s about greed and profits for oil industry investors.
Flashpoint 73 degrees?? Am I missing something, or does this literally mean it will spontaneously combust at room temperature?
Does a flashpoint of 73 degrees F mean that if the ambient air temperature is higher than 73 degrees that the product will ignite spontaneously?
Does a flashpoint of 73 degrees F mean that if the ambient air temperature is higher than 73 degrees that the product will ignite spontaneously?
Does a flashpoint of 73 degrees F mean that if the ambient air temperature is higher than 73 degrees that the product will ignite spontaneously?
Does a flashpoint of 73 degrees F mean that if the ambient air temperature is higher than 73 degrees that the product will ignite spontaneously?
Does a flashpoint of 73 degrees F mean that if the ambient air temperature is higher than 73 degrees that the product will ignite spontaneously?
Does a flashpoint of 73 degrees F mean that if the ambient air temperature is higher than 73 degrees that the product will ignite spontaneously?
Does a flashpoint of 73 degrees F mean that if the ambient air temperature is higher than 73 degrees that the product will ignite spontaneously?
Does a flashpoint of 73 degrees F mean that if the ambient air temperature is higher than 73 degrees that the product will ignite spontaneously?
Does a flashpoint of 73 degrees F mean that if the ambient air temperature is higher than 73 degrees that the product will ignite spontaneously?