[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43880-43881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16641]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. RSPA-04-18607; Notice 1]


Pipeline Safety: Petition for Waiver; Alyeska Pipeline Service 
Company

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; petition for waiver.

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SUMMARY: Alyeska Pipeline Service Company (Alyeska) has petitioned the 
Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA) Office of 
Pipeline Safety (OPS) for a waiver of the pipeline safety regulation 
that requires an operator to reduce the pressure of a pipeline to not 
more than 50 percent of the maximum operating pressure whenever the 
line pipe is moved.

DATES: Persons interested in submitting written comments on the waiver 
proposed in this notice must do so by August 23, 2004. Late-filed 
comments will be considered so far as practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by mailing or delivering an 
original and two copies to the Dockets Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20590-0001. The Dockets Facility is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except on Federal holidays when the facility is closed. 
Alternatively, you may submit written comments to the docket 
electronically at the following Web address: http://dms.dot.gov.
    All written comments should identify the docket and notice numbers 
stated in the heading of this notice. Anyone who wants confirmation of 
mailed comments must include a self-addressed stamped postcard. To file 
written comments electronically, after logging on to http://dms.dot.gov, click on ``Comment/Submissions.'' You can also read 
comments and other material in the docket at http://dms.dot.gov. 
General information about our pipeline safety program is available at 
http://ops.dot.gov.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit 
http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Reynolds by phone at 202-366-
2786, by fax at 202-366-4566, by mail at DOT, RSPA, OPS, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Room 2103, Washington, DC 20590, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Alyeska has petitioned RSPA/OPS for a waiver 
from compliance with the requirements of 49 CFR 195.424(a) for 420 
miles of aboveground line pipe in the Trans Alaska Pipeline System 
(TAPS). Section 195.424(a) does not allow a pipeline operator to move 
any line pipe unless the pressure in the pipeline section is reduced to 
not more than 50 percent of the maximum operating pressure (MOP). 
Alyeska argues that lowering the pressure on the aboveground portion of 
TAPS is not necessary and is disruptive and burdensome to its pipeline 
operations. The requested waiver would apply whenever routine 
maintenance requires that the aboveground line pipe be moved laterally, 
longitudinally, or vertically to relieve pipe stresses and restore it 
to its intended position.
    TAPS was designed and constructed between 1973 and 1977 to 
transport oil 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Alyeska's marine 
terminal at Valdez, Alaska. Over half of the TAPS pipeline, 420 miles, 
was constructed aboveground. Alyeska states that because of TAPS' 
unique design and construction, the aboveground portions of the 
pipeline behave in a structurally predictable manner. According to 
Alyeska, the aboveground structures were designed to accommodate line 
pipe movement while operating at MOP under a full range of operating 
and environmental conditions without over-stressing the line pipe. 
Alyeska notes that the unique design and construction of TAPS allows 
pipeline movement caused by thermal expansion, seismic or hydraulic 
events, fault movements, support structure settlement, or frost 
jacking, as well as complete loss of two adjacent support structures. 
Moreover, Alyeska further states that TAPS was designed and constructed 
to anticipate line pipe movements, including routine lifting to replace 
sliding pads, reposition shoes, and adjust out-of-level crossbeams 
without reducing the pressure in the pipeline or over-stressing the 
pipe.

[[Page 43881]]

    Alyeska describes the TAPS support system in its waiver request. 
The aboveground portion of TAPS was designed and constructed with two 
types of supports: intermediate sliding supports and anchor supports. 
The intermediate sliding supports are spaced every 60 feet on the 
aboveground portion of the pipeline. Anchor supports are spaced every 
600 to 1,800 feet to control line pipe displacement arising from 
thermal expansion and seismic movement. According to Alyeska, the 
stresses imposed on the pipeline during operations and maintenance can 
be accurately predicted based on monitoring data using well-established 
engineering methods. Other important aspects of the design and 
construction of the aboveground portion of TAPS are illustrated in 
Alyeska's waiver request, which is available in the docket.
    RSPA/OPS may waive compliance with any part of a pipeline safety 
regulation if the waiver is not inconsistent with pipeline safety. 
Alyeska contends that because 49 CFR Sec.  195.424(a) was adopted prior 
to the construction of TAPS, this regulation was only intended for 
movement of conventionally constructed, buried line pipe. Alyeska 
believes that a waiver from Sec.  195.424(a) for the 420 miles of 
aboveground line pipe in TAPS would not be inconsistent with pipeline 
safety because the design and construction of TAPS allows for safe 
movement and adjustment of aboveground line pipe.
    Routine maintenance on the aboveground portion of TAPS requires the 
pipeline to be lifted or moved laterally, longitudinally, or vertically 
to restore it to its intended position. Alyeska defines routine 
maintenance to include:
     Out-of-plumb vertical support members (VSM).
     Out-of level crossbeams.
     Tripped anchors.
     Intermediate shoes positioned too close to crossbeam edge.
     Intermediate shoes positioned too close to left or right 
VSM.
     Damaged Teflon pads.
     Non-uniform support of the pipeline.
    Alyeska provided the following justification in support of its 
waiver request:
     Aboveground portion of TAPS behave differently from 
conventionally buried pipeline for which the regulations were 
originally promulgated;
     Maintenance is routinely and regularly required to keep 
the aboveground portion of the TAPS operating safely;
     Lowering operating pressure while making regular and 
routine adjustments will be unnecessarily disruptive and burdensome on 
the TAPS operation;
     Disruptions of TAPS operation could adversely affect the 
flow of crude oil to U.S. domestic markets, harming the national 
economy, and threatening national security;
     Established procedures are followed to ensure the safety 
of the aboveground portion of this pipeline while performing pipeline 
maintenance; and
     Lowering the pressure of the TAPS aboveground pipeline is 
not necessary for pipeline safety because the TAPS pipeline is designed 
to accommodate pipeline movement during maintenance while operating at 
full pressure.
    Alyeska seeks a permanent waiver of compliance from Sec.  
195.424(a) for the 420 miles of aboveground portion of TAPS. The waiver 
will relieve Alyeska of the requirement to reduce the pressure of its 
pipeline to not more than 50 percent of MOP when making routine 
adjustments and performing regular maintenance on the aboveground 
portion of TAPS.
    RSPA/OPS requests comments on the requested waiver, including each 
of Alyeska's justifications. At the conclusion of the comment period, 
RSPA/OPS will consider Alyeska's application and all comments and 
publish its decision to grant or deny the waiver in the Federal 
Register.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 60118(c) and 49 CFR 1.53.

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 16, 2004.
Chris Hoidal,
Acting Deputy Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 04-16641 Filed 7-21-04; 8:45 am]
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