From: ahk@chinet.com   
      
   dpeltier@my-deja.com wrote:   
   >"Adam H. Kerman"  wrote:   
   >>dpeltier@my-deja.com wrote:   
   >>>"Adam H. Kerman"  wrote:   
   >>>>dpeltier@my-deja.com wrote:   
      
   >>And how do we not assume that the more volatile fractions had simply   
   >>evaporated at that point?   
      
   >Because they were still there when they tested it. They showed up (in   
   >larger-than-expected quantities) in the chemical analysis, and their   
   >presence explains the low flash point found in their testing. That's why   
   >the TSB determined that the material had been classified into the wrong   
   >packing group, which might have affected the railroad's handling of the   
   >material but would not have had any effect on which tank car was allowed by   
   >federal regulation.   
      
   Aargh. The cars aren't pressurized. The gases don't remain dissolved.   
   They DON'T know how high the flash point was at ignition.   
      
   >>That does NOT tell us what the characterists were when those cars were   
   >>loaded and whether the wellhead had deliberately adjusted pressure   
   >>settings so the separators weren't stripping out sufficient volatiles,   
   >>more quickly filling the tank cars.   
      
   >What do you mean "stripping out sufficient volatiles"? What would define   
   >"sufficient"?   
      
   The various newspaper articles have said there's cheating at the wellhead,   
   that they're trying to both fill the tank cars quicker and lower the   
   quality of the crude (while selling it at a price of higher quality crude),   
   so "sufficient" to me means setting the pressure correctly at the   
   separator so they don't lower the quality of the crude, regardless of   
   transportation safety issues and tank car standards. By lowering the   
   quantity, they've made it more dangerous than it needs to be.   
      
   >There is no prohibition against shipping liquids with a low   
   >flash point in DOT-111 cars - yet. . . .   
      
   I accept your explanation. Thank you. Nevertheless, mis-stating the packing   
   group is a willful violation of standards. Hell, cheating about the quality   
   of crude is fraud. Perhaps somewhat more ethical business practices would   
   be sufficient to reduce the danger to a more acceptable level.   
      
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