North Dakota's New CBR Rules Take Effect Today -- April 1, 2015

This is why the flurry of stories on CBR safety / risks the last few days. North Dakota's new CBR rules kick in today. The Dickinson Press is reporting:

Starting today, oil companies in North Dakota will be required to remove more volatile gases from Bakken crude oil so it has a vapor pressure of no greater than 13.7 pounds per square inch. Oil conditioning occurs at the well through equipment that separates the oil, gas and water. Companies can meet the new standard by operating their equipment at specific pressures and temperatures. If they choose an alternative method, companies will need to submit documentation that shows they are meeting the standard.

How was 13.7 chosen? The independent standards organization ASTM, formerly American Society for Testing and Materials, defines stable crude oil as having a vapor pressure of 14.7 psi. Equipment that tests for vapor pressure has a margin of error of 1, so state regulators chose 13.7 to ensure that it meets the definition, said Alison Ritter, spokeswoman for the Department of Mineral Resources.

The article conveniently forgot to mention that the North Dakota standard is a full pound below the federal requirement. The article alludes to this fact by stating that the federal government considers crude oil to be stable if the vapor pressure is 14.7 psi or less. However, from an earlier post:

The order, to go into effect April 1, will limit Bakken to a vapor pressure of no more than 13.7 per square inch, 1 psi below the national standard of 14.7. It also requires that operators separate light hydrocarbons from the crude and prohibits blending light hydrocarbons back into the oil.

A full pound -- almost 7% -- below the federal requirement. The state could have mandated 14.7 psi for Bakken crude oil, but chose to go significantly lower.