[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56584-56585]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15880]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-06-25735; Notice 1]


Pipeline Safety: Request for Waiver; Sabine Pass LNG

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to consider waiver request.

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SUMMARY: Sabine Pass Liquefied Natural Gas (SPLNG) facility requests a 
waiver of compliance from the regulation that requires every Liquefied 
Natural Gas (LNG) facility constructed after March 31, 2000 to comply 
with the National Fire Protection Association's standard 59A (NFPA 
59A), 2001 Edition.

DATES: Persons interested in submitting written comments on the waiver 
request described in this notice must do so by October 27, 2006. Late 
filed comments will be considered as 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 (DOT), Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20590-0001. The Dockets Facility is open from 9 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 number 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. General information about 
the Federal pipeline safety program is available at http://phmsa.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 (70 FR 19477) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Reynolds by telephone at 202-
366-2786, by fax at 202-366-4566, by mail at DOT, Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 400 7th Street, SW., 
Room 2103, Washington, DC 20590, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    SPLNG requests a waiver of compliance from the regulatory 
requirement at 49 CFR 193.2301. This regulation requires each LNG 
facility constructed after March 31, 2000, to comply with 49 CFR Part 
193 and paragraph 4.2.1 in NFPA 59A, 2001 Edition.
    NFPA 59A requires that welded containers designed for not more than 
15 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) comply with the eighth edition, 
1990, of American Petroleum Institute standard 620 (API 620), Design 
and Construction of Large, Welded, Low-Pressure Storage Tanks (Appendix 
Q). The Eighth Edition of API 620 requires inspection according to 
Appendix Q, which calls for the full radiographic examination of all 
vertical and horizontal butt welds associated with the container.
    SPLNG is proposing to use the 2002 Tenth Edition, Addendum 1, of 
API 620. This Edition allows for ultrasonic examination, instead of 
radiography, as an acceptable alternative to examining butt welds 
associated with the container. SPLNG proposes to use ultrasonic 
examination on its project which consists of full semi-automated and 
manual ultrasonic examination using shear wave probes. The examination 
also consists of a volumetric ultrasonic examination using a 
combination of creep wave probes and focused angled longitudinal wave 
probes.
    SPLNG asserts that ultrasonic examination has several advantages 
over radiographic examination, namely it:
     Produces faster examination rates with equal reliability;
     Yields higher weld productivity rates and overall lower 
project cost;
     Employs a linear scanning process and allows both sides of 
the weld to be examined simultaneously;
     Offers results reviewable by personnel both on-site and 
off-site;
     Utilizes inspection data which can be stored, analyzed, 
and shared digitally;
     Eliminates hazardous materials disposal issues; and
     Improves weld inspection personnel safety.
    For the reasons stated, SPLNG is requesting a waiver from 49 CFR 
193.2301 which requires compliance with 49 CFR part 193 and NFPA 59A. 
Moreover, SPLNG is asking that it be allowed to use the ultrasonic 
examination method in the Tenth Edition, Addendum 1, of API 620 instead 
of the radiographic examination method in the Eighth Edition of API 
620.
    The NFPA 59A Technical Committee recently approved and recommended 
the acceptance of the 2002, Tenth Edition, Addendum 1 of API 620 with 
three limitations. PHMSA has only incorporated by reference the 2001 
Edition of NFPA 59A, therefore a waiver is required for the 2006 
Edition.
    PHMSA will consider SPLNG's waiver request and whether SPLNG's 
proposal will yield an equivalent or greater degree of safety than that

[[Page 56585]]

currently provided by the regulations. This notice is PHMSA's only 
request for public comment before making a decision. After considering 
any comments received, PHMSA's will make a determination to grant 
SPLNG's waiver request as proposed or with modifications and conditions 
or deny SPLNG's request. If the waiver is granted and PHMSA 
subsequently determines that the effect of the waiver is inconsistent 
with pipeline safety, PHMSA may impose additional conditions on the 
operator or revoke the waiver at its sole discretion.

    Issued in Washington, DC on September 19, 2006.
Theodore L. Willke,
Acting Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. E6-15880 Filed 9-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P