Oil conditioning hearing date set
Lydia Gilbertson
The Department of Mineral Resources Oil and Gas Division has set a date for the special hearing addressing the transportation safety and marketability of crude oil in North Dakota. The hearing will be held at 9 a.m Tuesday, September 23 at the department’s offices at 1000 E Calgary Ave. in Bismarck. If new laws on oil conditioning are passed it will cost oil and gas companies more money to produce in North Dakota. Oil conditioning practices are being considered due to increased evidence that suggests that Bakken crude is more volatile than other crudes. The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources recently funded a study that found that Bakken crude is no different from other light sweet crudes despite a government study that says that it is more dangerous.
If you are interested in testifying at the public hearing, the commission requests that it be of a technical nature and pertain to one of the topics it is seeking input for.
Topics include:
- Typical operating temperature, pressure, and retention time of gas/liquid separators.
- Optimum operating gas/liquid separator temperature, pressure, and retention time to effectively remove light hydrocarbons.
- Typical operating temperature, pressure, and retention time of treaters.
- Optimum operating treater temperature, pressure, and retention time to effectively remove light hydrocarbons.
- Optimum oil stock tank pressure to effectively operate vapor collection equipment.
- Optimum oil tank settling time prior to shipment.
- Capital costs of typical gas/liquid separator and treating equipment.
- Operating costs of typical gas/liquid separator and treating equipment.
- Other field operation methods to effectively reduce the light hydrocarbons in crude oil.
- Crude oil quality and safety studies including but not limited to those conducted by American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, PHMSA & FRA Operation Classification, Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and Turner Mason & Company.
Each testimony is limited to 15 minutes. Submit written comments to brkadrmas@nd.gov before 5 p.m Monday, September 22.