Oil Delivery

Discussion with T.J. Sarlina , December, 1999

Present:
    Randy Johnson
    Peter Kasper
    T.J. Sarlina

    The best oil delivery method for the experiment would be to have the oil delivered in rail tanker cars to the Fermilab railhead, unloaded there in tanker truck, and delivered to the experiment.  The expected procedure would be the following:

  1. All rail tankers would be delivered to the Fermilab railhead simultaneously.
  2. Quality of oil in each tank car would be verified.
  3. Two tanker trailers would be rented and checked for cleanliness.
  4. Techs would fill a tanker
  5. Fermilab drivers would haul tanker to detector site.
  6. Techs would connect tanker to detector and oversee offloading.
  7. A second tanker trailer would begin being filled at the railhead as the first trailer is emptying.
  8. After the first trailer is empty, it and the second trailer are swapped.
Business services could be contacted concerning renting the tanker trailers.  Ron Haynes (X2475) was contacted about the possibility of using Fermilab drivers.  He said that as long as they were driving only on site, they could be used.  They would be responsible for positioning the truck at either end, but would not be responsible for connecting the hoses or performing the oil transfer. (Alternate trucking contact: Frank Cesarano, X4188).

Spill Containment Considerations:

Under normal operation we would expect the spillage to be very small and confined exclusively to the area around where the hose connections were made and broken.  We will need a well understood and well documented procedure that the techs will follow when filling and emptying the trailers.  The fill lines should have cumulative flow meters (like the gas pumps at gas stations) that will indicate how full the tailers are.  Likewise the trailers should have level indicators.  Ideally, they will also have level alarms that will shut off the fill process.

The worst case scenerios will be investigated for accidents both around the railhead and around the detector.  We will look into where the oil will go if we create a spill (i.e., where the drians, surface ditches, etc. are in each area).  Around the railhead, remediation of a spill may simple be removal and disposal of the contaiminated soil.  In the detector area, we must be sure that we have sufficient containment such that an accident will not contaminate the sufrace water in that area.  Possible accident scenerios are tank overflow or hose rupture.  First line of defense for all accidents is shutting off the oil supply.

Additional Information:

    T.J. will look into:

  1. Any special requirements for the transfer, connect, or disconnect procedures;
  2. Talk with the procurement department about the types of tankers that are available and what safety equipment comes with them;
  3. Check with the property office to see if the lab has any suitable tankers.
February 1, 2000

Note from TJ:

  1. The laboratory does not have tanker trailers for the oil.
  2. He has found a company that makes spill containment equipment.  It looks like the appropriate equipment can be purchased.