[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67212-67213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-25427]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. RSPA-04-18607; Notice 2]


Pipeline Safety: Grant of Waiver; Alyeska Pipeline Service 
Company

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

ACTION: Notice; grant of waiver.

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SUMMARY: The Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA) 
Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is granting Alyeska Pipeline Service 
Company's (Alyeska) petition 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Alyeska 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). 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 was constructed aboveground. 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 
necessitates that the aboveground line pipe be moved laterally, 
longitudinally or vertically, to relieve pipe stresses and restore the 
pipe to its intended position. On July 22, 2004, RSPA/OPS published a 
notice in the Federal Register requesting public comment on Alyeska's 
waiver request (69 FR 43880). No

[[Page 67213]]

comments were received in response to this Notice.

Findings and Grant of Waiver

    RSPA/OPS finds that Alyeska's requested waiver from Sec.  195.424 
(a) is not inconsistent with pipeline safety for the following reasons:
    1. Because of its unique design, the aboveground portion of TAPS 
behaves differently from conventionally buried pipelines. Moving a 
buried pipeline during maintenance activities may impose additional 
stresses on the pipe. Thus, lowering the pipeline pressure prior to 
movement provides a safety factor and reduces the possibility of 
pipeline failure from overstressing the pipe. In contrast, TAPS' 
aboveground pipeline is placed on support structures that allow the 
pipeline to move freely within a design range without imposing 
additional stresses on the pipeline. This design feature eliminates or 
reduces stresses imposed on the pipeline due to thermal expansion, 
seismic events, or settlement of the support structures and reduces the 
need to reduce pressure on the pipeline.
    2. The TAPS pipeline is fully restrained where it transitions 
between underground and aboveground sections. The point of restraint is 
located approximately 1,000-1,500 feet away from the transition. This 
is point where the pipeline begins to behave as a fully restrained 
underground structure. Aboveground piping is more easily monitored and 
is much less restrained than underground pipe. Stresses imposed on 
aboveground pipe in the TAPS system are resolved by allowing movement 
of the pipe on support structures. Therefore, it is not necessary to 
reduce operating pressure on aboveground sections of the TAPS pipeline 
during routine maintenance activities.
    3. Alyeska has established maintenance procedures to ensure the 
safety of the aboveground portion of this pipeline. These maintenance 
procedures ensure that the pipeline is maintained within its safe 
operating design limits. Alyeska has procedures to:
     Install temporary support brackets to lift and replace the 
pipeline's vertical support members (VSMs);
     Calibrate the spring hangers and balance the load across 
the VSM;
     Adjust the brackets and re-level the anchor platforms 
whenever the anchor platform exceeds 2 percent;
     Reposition the anchor slide plate to return the anchor to 
its proper alignment; and
     Adjust the elevation of the pipe shoes to increase the 
flexibility of the pipeline during pipe movement.
    Many of these maintenance procedures are considered ``covered 
tasks'' under 49 CFR 195.501, Qualification of Pipeline Personnel. All 
steps of a procedure are mandatory and must be followed by pipeline 
maintenance personnel. Maintenance crew members must be qualified on 
the method of applying a procedure and on how to provide notification 
to the Operations Control Center, the local Maintenance Coordinator, 
the Control Room Operator, and the nearest upstream pump station prior 
to performing a procedure.
    Based on these findings, RSPA/OPS grants Alyeska's request for a 
waiver of the requirements of Sec.  195.424(a) for the aboveground 
portion of TAPS. The grant of this waiver is conditioned on the 
following items. Alyeska must--
     Apply this waiver only to the aboveground portions of 
TAPS;
     Apply this waiver during instances of routine pipe 
movement provided the pipe movement does not increase the stresses on 
the pipe;
     Not apply this waiver during instances where the pipe has 
fallen off the pipe supports due to seismic or hydraulic events, frost 
jacking, or dilapidated support structures; and
     Apply this waiver only during instances whenever routine 
maintenance necessitates the aboveground pipe be moved laterally, 
longitudinally or vertically, to relieve pipe stresses and restore the 
pipe to its intended position.
    If Alyeska does not comply with any of these requirements, or if 
circumstances indicate that the waiver compromises the safety of the 
pipeline or of people or property, RSPA/OPS reserves the right to 
terminate the waiver.

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

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 10, 2004.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 04-25427 Filed 11-15-04; 8:45 am]
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