{"operation":"document","citation":"14-0148","title":"URS Corporation — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2014-09-16","effective_on":null,"summary":"14-0148 response to URS Corporation concerning 173.306.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0148.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0148.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0148","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2014/140148.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nMaterials Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous\nAdministration\nSEP 16 2014\nMr. Andrew N. Romach\nRegulatory Compliance Manager\nURS Corporation\n1600 Perimeter Park Drive\nMorrisville, NC 27560\nRef. No.: 14-0148\nDear Mr. Romach:\nThis is in response to your letter dated July 21, 2014 requesting confirmation that the relief\nfrom the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) provided by\n§ 173.306(f)(1) for accumulators installed in assembled machinery is applicable to certain gas\nlift valves used in the oil drilling industry. The described gas lift valves contain a gas spring\n(accumulator) that operates the opening and closing of the valve. The bellows containing the\naccumulator is its own separate component of the assembled valve and the accumulator is\ndesigned with a burst pressure of not less than five times its charged pressure at 70 °F.\nAs described, the accumulator is a component of and installed in an item of assembled\nmachinery (the gas lift valve). Pursuant to § 173.306(f)(1), provided the accumulator contains\nonly non-liquified, non-flammable gas and the gas lift valve contains no other hazardous\nmaterials, the described gas lift valves are not subject to the requirements of the HMR.\nI trust this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\nshoe C He\nShane C. Kelley\nActing International Standards Coordinator\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nBabich\n173.3061(1)\nDodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nLimited Quarty\nFrom:\nCiccarone, Michael CTR (PHMSA)\n14-0848\nSent:\nTo:\nlonday, July 21, 2014 4:19 P\nSubject:\na-mat inter Por Formal Interoretation Lette\nAttachments:\nrequest for DOT regulatory interpr accumulator 07212014 pdf\nShante and Alice,\nPlease submit this for a formal letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nMike\nFrom: Jarman, Erin [mailto:erin.jarman@urs.com]\nTo: PHMSA HM InfoCenter\nSent: Monday, July 21, 2014 2:47 PM\nCc: Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nSubject: Request for Formal Interpretation Letter\nDear Info Center,\nAttached is a request for formal interpretation related to accumulators. If you need additional information, please feel\nfree to contact me via e-mail or at the telephone number below. Have a great day!\nErin N. Jarman\nEnvironmental Scientist\nURS Corporation\n1600 Perimeter Park Dr.\nSuite 400\nMorrisville, NC 27560\n919-461-1478 (office phone)\nreceive this message in error or are not the intended récipient, you should not retain, distribute, disclose or use any of this\nThis e-mail and any attachments contain URS Corporation confidential information that may be proprietary or privileged. If you\ninformation and you should destroy the e-mail and any attachments or copies.\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nURS\nJuly 21, 2014\nMr. Charles Betts, Division Director\nStandards and Rulemaking (PHH-10)\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nEast Building, 2nd Floor\n1200 New Jersey Ave., SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nDear Mr. Betts:\nI am writing to request a Department of Transportation (DOT) interpretation concerning whether a gas\nlift valve that contains a gas spring could be excepted from the DOT Hazardous Material Regulations\n(HMR) as set out in 49 CFR 173.306(f)(1) for an accumulator installed in assembled machinery. DOT\npreviously issued an interpretation (11-0311) applying this same exception to another scenario of an\naccumulator system that functions as part of an oil drilling rig.\nSee below photograph of a gas lift valve that contains a gas spring (accumulator). This gas spring\noperates the opening and closing of the valve; this assembly is inserted into a gas pipeline on an oil rig\nfor the purpose of lifting the oil column and forcing the fluid out of the wellbore. The bellows that\ncontains the pressure (the accumulator) is its own separate piece of the assembled valve. This\naccumulator is designed and fabricated with a burst pressure of not less than five times its charged\npressed at 70°F when shipped, as required in 49 CFR 173.306(f)(1).\nPlease confirm that the exception from the DOT Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR) as set out in\n49 CFR 173.306(f)(1) for an accumulator installed in assembled machinery would apply to the\nabove-described gas lift valve that contains a gas spring.\nI would appreciate your assistance with this question.\nSincerely,\nAndrew N. Romach\nRegulatory Compliance Manager\nURS Corporation\nURS Corporation\nTel: 919.461.1220\n1600 Perimeter Park Drive Morrisville, NC 2756(\nandy.romach@urs.com\nFax: 919.461.1371","truncated":false,"body_characters":4608}