[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 176 (Monday, September 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62796-62798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21865]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION


PHMSA-2007-0038, ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.; PHMSA-2016-0072, 
Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.; PHMSA-2016-0073, New Fortress 
Energy-Tico Development Partners, LLC; Pipeline Safety: Requests for 
Special Permit

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal pipeline safety laws, PHMSA is 
publishing this notice of three special permit requests we received 
from pipeline operators, seeking relief from compliance with certain 
requirements in the Federal pipeline safety regulations. This notice 
seeks public comments on the requests, including comments on any safety 
or environmental impacts. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment 
period, PHMSA will evaluate the requests and determine whether to grant 
or deny the special permits.

DATES: Submit any comments regarding these special permit requests by 
October 12, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the docket number for the specific 
special permit request and may be submitted in the following ways:
     E-Gov Web site: http://www.Regulations.gov. This site 
allows the public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice 
issued by any agency.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management System: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Docket Management System: U.S. Department 
of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 
9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.
    Instructions: You should identify the docket number for the special 
permit request you are commenting on at the beginning of your comments. 
If you submit your comments by mail, please submit two copies. To 
receive confirmation that PHMSA has received your comments, please 
include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet users may submit 
comments at http://www.Regulations.gov.
    Note: Comments are posted without changes or edits to http://www.Regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. There 
is a privacy statement published on http://www.Regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    General: Ms. Kay McIver by telephone at 202-366-0113, or email at 
[email protected].
    Technical: Mr. Steve Nanney by telephone at 713-628-7479, or email 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA has received three special permit 
requests from pipeline operators seeking relief from compliance with 
certain Federal pipeline safety regulations. The requests include a 
technical analysis provided by the operator and has been filed at 
www.Regulations.gov under the assigned docket number. We invite 
interested persons to participate by reviewing these special permit 
requests at http://www.Regulations.gov, and by submitting written 
comments, data or other views. Please include any comments on potential 
environmental impacts that may result if these special permits are 
granted.
    Before acting on these special permit requests, PHMSA will evaluate 
all comments received on or before the comment closing date. Comments 
will be evaluated after this date if it is possible to do so without 
incurring additional expense or delay. PHMSA will consider each 
relevant comment we receive in making our decision to grant or deny a 
request.
    PHMSA has received the following special permit requests:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Docket No.                   Requester               Regulation(s)          Nature of special permit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHMSA-2007-0038..............  ConocoPhillips Alaska     49 CFR 192.481 and        To authorize ConocoPhillips
                                Inc. (CPAI).              195.583.                  Alaska Inc (CPAI), in its
                                                                                    capacity as Operator of the
                                                                                    Kuparuk Transportation
                                                                                    Company and the Oliktok
                                                                                    Pipeline Company, to meet
                                                                                    its obligations under the
                                                                                    regulations to monitor
                                                                                    atmospheric corrosion on
                                                                                    above ground pipelines.

[[Page 62797]]

 
                                                                                   The special permit request is
                                                                                    for: The 9.2 miles of 18-
                                                                                    inch diameter and 27.7 miles
                                                                                    of 24-inch diameter Kuparuk
                                                                                    Oil Pipeline (Operator
                                                                                    Identification (OPID):
                                                                                    10346) including Divert Tank
                                                                                    ``A``; 27.91 miles of 16-
                                                                                    inch diameter Oliktok Gas
                                                                                    Pipeline (OPID: 31341); and
                                                                                    34.6 miles of 14-inch
                                                                                    diameter Alpine Oil Pipeline
                                                                                    (OPID: 31552).
                                                                                   CPAI changed operations as
                                                                                    follows: Switched from
                                                                                    natural gas liquids
                                                                                    transport to natural gas
                                                                                    transport service and
                                                                                    modified one pipeline to
                                                                                    allow the special permit
                                                                                    segment to be inspected by
                                                                                    an in-line inspection (ILI)
                                                                                    tool. CPAI requests the
                                                                                    modification of the current
                                                                                    special permit to continue
                                                                                    to inspect areas
                                                                                    ``susceptible'' to
                                                                                    atmospheric corrosion for
                                                                                    their non-piggable,
                                                                                    insulated, regulated
                                                                                    pipelines on the North Slope
                                                                                    of Alaska. The modification
                                                                                    will include additional
                                                                                    regulations covering 49 CFR
                                                                                    Part 192 for natural gas
                                                                                    service.
                                                                                   The Oliktok Pipeline (OPID:
                                                                                    31341) changed service from
                                                                                    natural gas liquids to
                                                                                    natural gas in 2014.
                                                                                   The Kaparuk Pipeline (OPID:
                                                                                    10346) segment was modified
                                                                                    in 2009 to allow ILI. All of
                                                                                    these pipelines are being
                                                                                    inspected by ILI tools on
                                                                                    either a 2 or 3-year
                                                                                    interval.
PHMSA-2016-0072..............  Magellan Midstream        49 CFR 195.432..........  To authorize Magellan a
                                Partners, L.P.                                      special permit for variance
                                (Magellan).                                         from Federal regulations of
                                                                                    49 CFR 195.432, for a
                                                                                    transitional staged breakout
                                                                                    tank inspection schedule.
                                                                                    Magellan claims that the
                                                                                    January 5, 2015, Rulemaking,
                                                                                    ``Periodic Updates of
                                                                                    Regulatory References to
                                                                                    Technical Standards and
                                                                                    Miscellaneous Amendments''
                                                                                    (80 FR 168), which removed
                                                                                    Section 6.4.3 of API
                                                                                    Standard 653, would
                                                                                    significantly accelerate the
                                                                                    inspection intervals of 553
                                                                                    of its 800 Breakout Tanks.
                                                                                    These tanks are located in
                                                                                    the States of: Colorado,
                                                                                    Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa,
                                                                                    Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,
                                                                                    Nebraska, North Dakota,
                                                                                    Oklahoma, South Dakota,
                                                                                    Texas, Wisconsin and
                                                                                    Wyoming. Additionally the
                                                                                    rule would require Magellan
                                                                                    to accelerate inspections of
                                                                                    approximately 100 tanks by
                                                                                    January 5, 2017. Due to this
                                                                                    requirement, Magellan
                                                                                    expects it would experience
                                                                                    significant logistical
                                                                                    challenges in securing
                                                                                    additional project
                                                                                    personnel, qualified
                                                                                    contractors, and reputable
                                                                                    inspection services to
                                                                                    oversee the accelerated tank
                                                                                    inspections. Magellan
                                                                                    proposes to use the
                                                                                    transitional staged Breakout
                                                                                    Tank inspection to provide
                                                                                    an equivalent or higher
                                                                                    level of pipeline integrity
                                                                                    while leading to full and
                                                                                    sustained compliance with
                                                                                    the federal regulations.
PHMSA-2016-0073..............  New Fortress Energy.....  49 CFR 193.2155(b)......  To authorize TICO a special
                               TICO Development                                     permit for variance from
                                Partners (TICO), LLC.                               Federal regulations of 49
                                                                                    CFR 193.2155(b) to operate a
                                                                                    liquefied natural gas (LNG)
                                                                                    tank over \3/5\ of a mile
                                                                                    south-southeast of the Space
                                                                                    Coast Regional Airport in
                                                                                    association with the
                                                                                    construction of their future
                                                                                    liquefaction, storage and
                                                                                    transfer facility in
                                                                                    Titusville, Florida. TICO
                                                                                    proposes to locate the LNG
                                                                                    Tank on part of a property
                                                                                    measuring approximately 64
                                                                                    acres in a location that is
                                                                                    over \3/5\ of a mile south-
                                                                                    southeast from the southern
                                                                                    edge of Runway \18/36\ at
                                                                                    TIX (the Project Site). The
                                                                                    Project Site and the
                                                                                    surrounding area is zoned M-
                                                                                    2, which allows for
                                                                                    industrial and heavy
                                                                                    industrial uses, and
                                                                                    occupies an area planned for
                                                                                    industrial development
                                                                                    situated between TIX and an
                                                                                    existing thermal power
                                                                                    plant. The Project Site sits
                                                                                    adjacent to the Florida East
                                                                                    Coast Railway line and a
                                                                                    natural gas pipeline located
                                                                                    immediately east of the
                                                                                    Project Site.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[Page 62798]]

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 7, 2016, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
John A. Gale,
Director, Standards and Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2016-21865 Filed 9-9-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P