Bitumen Shippers Seen as Losers in Federal Oil-by-Rail Order
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A federal order reclassifying types of crude carried in tanker-cars is threatening to reduce or delay shipments of bitumen and other low-volatility fuels, according to oil-by-rail companies.
The U.S. Transportation Department issued an emergency order yesterday requiring testing to ensure that flammable oils such as Bakken crude from North Dakota don’t explode during transit. It also raises the risk level of an entire class of less-volatile grades that must now be shipped in safer, “more robust” tanker-cars, a statement from the agency shows.