[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 2]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR173.5a]



[Page 425-426]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

   CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, 

                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 173_SHIPPERS_GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS

--Table of Contents

 

                            Subpart A_General

 

Sec. 173.5a  Oilfield service vehicles and mechanical displacement meter 

provers.



    (a) Oilfield service vehicles. Notwithstanding Sec. 173.29 of this 

subchapter, a cargo tank motor vehicle used in oilfield servicing 

operations is not subject to the specification requirements of this 

subchapter provided--

    (1) The cargo tank and equipment contains only residual amounts 

(i.e., it is emptied so far as practicable) of a flammable liquid alone 

or in combination with water,

    (2) No flame producing device is operated during transportation, and

    (3) The proper shipping name is preceded by ``RESIDUE: LAST 

CONTAINED * * * '' on the shipping paper for each movement on a public 

highway.

    (b) Mechanical displacement meter provers. (1) For purposes of this 

section, a mechanical displacement meter prover is a mechanical device, 

permanently mounted on a truck chassis or trailer and transported by 

motor vehicle, consisting of a pipe assembly that is used to calibrate 

the accuracy and performance of meters that measure the quantity of a 

product being pumped or transferred at facilities such as drilling 

locations, refineries, tank farms and loading racks.

    (2) A mechanical displacement meter prover is excepted from the 

specification packaging requirements in part 178 of this subchapter 

provided it--

    (i) Contains only the residue of a Class 3 or Division 2.1 material. 

For liquids, the meter prover must be drained to the maximum extent 

practicable and may not exceed 10% of its capacity; for gases, the meter 

prover must not exceed 25% of the marked pressure rating;

    (ii) Has a water capacity of 3,785 L (1,000 gallons) or less;

    (iii) Is designed and constructed in accordance with chapters II, 

III, IV, V and VI of the ASME Standard B31.4 (IBR, see Sec. 171.7 of 

this subchapter);

    (iv) Is marked with the maximum service pressure determined from the 

pipe component with the lowest pressure rating; and

    (v) Is equipped with rear-end protection as prescribed in Sec. 

178.337-10(c) of this subchapter and with 49 CFR 393.86 of the Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

    (3) The description on the shipping paper for a meter prover 

containing the residue of a hazardous material must include the phrase 

``RESIDUE: LAST CONTAINED * * * '' before the basic description.

    (4) Periodic test and inspection. (i) Each meter prover must be 

externally visually inspected once a year. The external visual 

inspection must include at a minimum: checking for leakage, defective 

fittings and welds, defective closures, significant dents and other 

defects or abnormalities which indicate a potential or actual weakness 

that could render the meter prover unsafe for transportation; and

    (ii) Each meter prover must be pressure tested once every 5 years at 

not less than 75% of design pressure. The pressure must be held for a 

period of



[[Page 426]]



time sufficiently long to assure detection of leaks, but in no case less 

than 5 minutes.

    (5) In addition to the training requirements in subpart H, the 

person who performs the visual inspection or pressure test and/or signs 

the inspection report must have the knowledge and ability to perform 

them as required by this section.

    (6) A meter prover that fails the periodic test and inspection, must 

be rejected and removed from hazardous materials service unless the 

meter prover is adequately repaired, and thereafter, a successful test 

is conducted in accordance with the requirements of this section.

    (7) Prior to any repair work, the meter prover must be emptied of 

any hazardous material. A meter prover containing flammable lading must 

be purged.

    (8) Each meter prover successfully completing the external visual 

inspection and the pressure test must be marked with the test date 

(month/year), the type of test or inspection as follows:

    (i) V for external visual inspection; and

    (ii) P for pressure test.

    The marking must be on the side of a tank or the largest piping 

component in letters 32 mm (1.25 inches) high on a contrasting 

background.

    (9) The owner must retain a record of the most recent external 

visual inspection and pressure test until the next test or inspection of 

the same type successfully completed. The test or inspection report must 

include the following:

    (i) Serial number or other meter prover identifier;

    (ii) Type of test or inspection performed;

    (iii) Test date (month/year);

    (iv) Location of defects found, if any, and method used to repair 

each defect;

    (v) Name and address of person performing the test or inspection;

    (vi) Disposition statement, such as ``Meter Prover returned to 

service'' or ``Meter Prover removed from service''.



[70 FR 3308, Jan. 24, 2005]