U.S. Orders Tests on Rail Shipments of Crude Oil

U.S. energy companies using railroads to carry crude must conduct tests to help ensure the oil cargoes won’t explode or eat holes through tank cars after rising train derailments spurred new emergency rules.

An order issued Tuesday by the U.S. Transportation Department requires oil explorers, including Continental Resources and EOG Resources, to test the chemical composition of all crude intended for shipment by rail.  While the new rules are focused on volatile Bakken crude, they also require more robust tank cars for transport of material that’s designated lower risk, such as bitumen from Canada’s oil sands.

U.S. Orders Tests on Rail Shipments of Crude Oil