98-31347. Pipeline Safety: Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities Petition for Waiver; Exxon Company, USA

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 226 (Tuesday, November 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 64990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31347]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration
[Docket No. RSPA-98-3638; Notice 2]


Pipeline Safety: Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities Petition for 
Waiver; Exxon Company, USA

    On April 22, 1998, the Research and Special Programs Administration 
(RSPA) published a notice (63 FR 19999) of intention to grant a waiver 
from compliance with certain provisions of 49 CFR part 193 to Exxon 
Corporation for its proposed Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) storage tanks 
at its existing LaBarge, Wyoming, gas processing operation. This 
document announces RSPA's withdrawal of the earlier notice on the 
ground that waiver is unnecessary because the facility is not under 49 
CFR Part 193.
    The La Barge, Wyoming operation includes two parallel nitrogen 
rejection units and a small liquefied natural gas (LNG) truck loading 
facility. Exxon proposes to install two 55,000 gallon LNG storage 
tanks. These tanks were designed, built, tested, and registered in 
accordance with the requirements of American Society of Mechanical 
Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, section VIII, 
Division 1. Exxon requested a waiver from compliance with specific 
sections of part 193 pertaining to nondestructive test requirements for 
ASME built vessels and indicated that it would provide equivalent 
safety through compliance with the National Fire Protection Association 
(NFPA) Standard 59A.
    RSPA previously told Exxon that if the LNG is produced at the gas 
processing operation ``in the course of natural gas treatment or 
hydrocarbon extraction'' but not placed in a storage tank prior to 
putting it into trucks, then 49 CFR 193.2001(b)(2) says the facility is 
not regulated under 49 CFR part 193. However, the addition of LNG 
storage tanks brings the facility under 49 CFR part 193.
    After revisiting this issue, RSPA has reversed its earlier 
position. If an LNG production facility does not receive gas from a 
pipeline subject to 49 CFR part 192 and does not supply gas to such a 
pipeline, then 49 CFR part 193 is not applicable to that LNG facility. 
Thus, Exxon's proposed LNG storage/truck loading facility at LaBarge, 
Wyoming, will not be subject to 49 CFR Part 193. A waiver is not 
necessary.

    Issued in Washington, D.C., on November 18, 1998.
Richard B. Felder,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 98-31347 Filed 11-23-98; 8:45 am]
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