ND Officials should be held accountable for explosive unstabilized oil

Officials should be held accountable for decision to not use technology to make oil less explosive

 

By Don Nelson, Past Chair, Dakota Resource Council    on Mar 12, 2015  

Most people would understand that there is a very straight line between explosive cargo and cargo exploding. A few weeks ago, the Dakota Resource Council pointed out the obvious that since North Dakota officials have failed to make North Dakota oil safe enough, there is also a direct line of responsibility to them for North Dakota oil exploding in a West Virginia train derailment.

Unfortunately, instead of addressing the problem, some state editorial writers repeated off the wall name-calling. Sidestepping real safety questions, some people pushed “all or nothing” thinking and attacked the messenger — in this case the local community group, Dakota Resource Council.....

.... the daily spills of oil and hazardous waste, extreme wasting of gas through flaring, threats to landowners over pipeline easements, exploding trains of North Dakota oil and a host of crime and other problems continue to be a new part of our daily life.

So far, seven trains carrying North Dakota crude oil have exploded in North America, including one in Quebec, Canada, that killed 47 people. The response of North Dakota officials began with Helms proclaiming the state should do a white paper to refute the “myth” that North Dakota oil was overly explosive. Then, a train carrying North Dakota oil exploded in Casselton, N.D., 20 miles from downtown Fargo.

Long-time denial gave way to reluctant regulation. In December, new rules went into effect that require oil be conditioned to 13.7 pounds per square inch before it is loaded on to trains carrying the crude out of state. This was not much of an improvement, since most oil producers in the state already do that. The West Virginia explosion was pegged at 13.9 psi, almost identical to what North Dakota officials are calling good enough. The oil that exploded in Quebec was at 9.3 psi and safe standards are at less than 6 psi. Obviously, North Dakota still has a long way to go.....   

....The fact is North Dakota officials are allowing an explosive product to be sent by train across the continent. DRC pointed out the obvious when we stated that responsibility for the explosion of North Dakota oil in West Virginia was a direct line to Gov. Jack Dalrymple, R-N.D., and North Dakota officials who made the decision to let it happen. We believe public officials should be held accountable for their decisions.....  more here

 

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