[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 66021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20863]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection


Accreditation and Approval of V-TIC Services, Inc. (Houston, TX) 
as a Commercial Gauger and Laboratory

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: Notice of accreditation and approval of V-TIC Services, Inc. 
(Houston, TX) as a commercial gauger and laboratory.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given, pursuant to CBP regulations, that V-
TIC Services, Inc. (Houston, TX) has been approved to gauge petroleum 
and certain petroleum products and accredited to test petroleum and 
certain petroleum products for customs purposes for the next four years 
as of December 15, 2021.

DATES: V-TIC Services, Inc. (Houston, TX) was approved and accredited 
as a commercial gauger and laboratory as of December 15, 2021. The next 
inspection date will be scheduled for December 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Eugene Bondoc, Laboratories and 
Scientific Services Directorate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 1501-A North, Washington, DC 20229, 
tel. 202-344-1060.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given pursuant to 19 CFR 
151.12 and 19 CFR 151.13, that V-TIC Services, Inc., 12140 Almeda Rd., 
Houston, TX 77045, has been approved to gauge petroleum and certain 
petroleum products and accredited to test petroleum and certain 
petroleum products for customs purposes, in accordance with the 
provisions of 19 CFR 151.12 and 19 CFR 151.13 as of December 15, 
2021.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ As a result of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, 
Laboratories and Scientific Services implemented a one-time 
quadrennial timeframe for reoccurring audits originally scheduled to 
take place in 2020, 2021, and 2022. This postponed the scheduled 
deadline for audits and the payment of reaccreditation or reapproval 
fees by one year, after which audits will return to a triennial 
schedule. See 19 U.S.C. 1499; Presidential Proclamation 9994, 85 FR 
15337 (March 13, 2020); Executive Order 13924, 85 FR 31353 (May 19, 
2020); and U.S. Customs & Border Protection, COVID-19 Laboratory and 
Gauger Postponement Letter (May 26, 2021), https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/covid-19-gauger-postponement-letter.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    V-TIC Services, Inc. (Houston, TX) is approved for the following 
gauging procedures for petroleum and certain petroleum products from 
the American Petroleum Institute (API):

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               API  chapters                            Title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.........................................  Tank Gauging.
7.........................................  Temperature Determination.
8.........................................  Sampling.
11........................................  Physical Properties Data.
12........................................  Calculations.
17........................................  Maritime Measurement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    V-TIC Services, Inc. (Houston, TX) is accredited for the following 
laboratory analysis procedures and methods for petroleum and certain 
petroleum products set forth by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
Laboratory Methods (CBPL) and American Society for Testing and 
Materials (ASTM):

------------------------------------------------------------------------
        CBPL No.              ASTM                    Title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
27-03..................  D4006          Standard Test Method for Water
                                         in Crude Oil by Distillation.
27-04..................  D95            Standard Test Method for Water
                                         in Petroleum Products and
                                         Bituminous Materials by
                                         Distillation.
27-05..................  D4928          Standard Test Method for Water
                                         in Crude Oils by Coulometric
                                         Karl Fischer Titration.
27-06..................  D473           Standard Test Method for
                                         Sediment in Crude Oils and Fuel
                                         Oils by the Extraction Method.
27-08..................  D86            Standard Test Method for
                                         Distillation of Petroleum
                                         Products.
27-11..................  D445           Standard Test Method for
                                         Kinematic Viscosity of
                                         Transparent and Opaque Liquids
                                         (and Calculation of Dynamic
                                         Viscosity).
27-13..................  D4294          Standard Test Method for Sulfur
                                         in Petroleum and Petroleum
                                         Products by Energy-Dispersive X-
                                         ray Fluorescence Spectrometry.
27-46..................  D5002          Standard Test Method for
                                         Density, Relative Density, and
                                         API Gravity of Crude Oils by
                                         Digital Density Analyzer.
27-48..................  D4052          Standard Test Method for Density
                                         and Relative Density of Liquids
                                         by Digital Density Meter.
27-50..................  D93            Standard Test Methods for Flash
                                         Point by Pensky-Martens Closed
                                         Cup Tester.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Anyone wishing to employ this entity to conduct laboratory analyses 
and gauger services should request and receive written assurances from 
the entity that it is accredited or approved by the U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection to conduct the specific test or gauger service 
requested. Alternatively, inquiries regarding the specific test or 
gauger service this entity is accredited or approved to perform may be 
directed to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection by calling (202) 
344-1060. The inquiry may also be sent to [email protected]. 
Please reference the website listed below for a complete listing of CBP 
approved gaugers and accredited laboratories. http://www.cbp.gov/about/labs-scientific/commercial-gaugers-and-laboratories

James D. Sweet,
Laboratory Director, Houston, Laboratories and Scientific Services 
Directorate.
[FR Doc. 2023-20863 Filed 9-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P