What are the major sources of energy in the United States?
The biggest source of energy is petroleum, including oil and natural gas. Together, they supply 65 percent of the energy we use. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, oil furnishes 40 percent of our energy, natural gas 25 percent, coal 22 percent, nuclear 8 percent and renewables 4 percent.



What is "crude oil"?
Crude oil is liquid petroleum that is found underground. Depending on where it is found and the conditions under which it was formed, crude oil can vary widely in density, viscosity, and sulfur content. Crude oil is processed by oil producing companies to produce refined products that we can use, such as gasoline, home heating oil, diesel fuel, aviation gasoline, jet fuels, and kerosene.



How is oil used?
A vast number of products that are used in our daily lives are made possible through the use of oil. Oil products fuel our transportation, whether it is by plane, train, car, truck, bus, or motorcycle. Oil is used to heat our homes and provide the energy that powers our factories. Chemicals made from oil are used to make a wide variety of products, ranging from clothing to cosmetics to pharmaceuticals. Modern plastics made from oil are used extensively in producing numerous products that are used daily in all facets of our lives.



How is natural gas used?
Natural gas supplies 25 percent of all the energy Americans consume. It's our second largest source of energy. Only oil provides more energy than natural gas. Natural gas has many different uses. For example, power companies use it to generate electricity, industries use it for heat and as a source of power, and millions of households rely on natural gas for heating and cooking. Liquid propane gas and compressed natural gas, which are produced from natural gas, provide the convenience of natural gas to locations where pipeline distribution is not available.



What kinds of products are transported through energy pipelines?
Natural gas pipelines transport natural gas. Liquid petroleum (oil) pipelines transport liquid petroleum and some liquefied gases, including carbon dioxide. Liquid petroleum includes crude oil and refined products made from crude oil, such as gasoline, home heating oil, diesel fuel, aviation gasoline, jet fuels, and kerosene. Liquefied ethylene, propane, butane, and some petrochemical feedstocks are also transported through oil pipelines.



How safe are pipelines?
Relative to the volumes of products transported, pipelines are extremely safe when compared to other modes of energy transportation.

Oil pipeline spills amount to about 1 gallon per million barrel-miles (Association of Oil Pipelines). One barrel, transported one mile, equals one barrel-mile, and there are 42 gallons in a barrel. In household terms, this is less than one teaspoon of oil spilled per thousand barrel-miles.

Pipelines also generally have a better safety record (deaths, injuries, fires/explosions) than other modes of oil transportation. For example, compared to the pipeline record, there are 87 times more oil transport truck-related deaths, 35 times more oil transport truck related fires/explosions and twice as many oil transport truck-related injuries.



What is done to keep pipelines safe?
Pipelines are operated under a variety of federal and state regulations and industry standards intended to ensure public and environmental safety and health. These regulations and standards address all aspects of pipeline operations, including where they are built, how they are built, operated and maintained, how they are tested, and what programs and procedures the operators must have to ensure the integrity of their pipelines and their operation. Pipeline operators are inspected by both federal and state pipeline safety inspectors to ensure they meet or exceed these regulatory requirements and standards. Additionally, there are various government organizations, such as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and private citizens groups that monitor the operation of pipelines and make recommendations for improvements and changes. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the pipeline operator to ensure the safety of its pipelines. Pipeline operators follow regulatory guidance and industry standards in maintaining and operating their pipelines.



What other things are in the future to improve pipeline safety?
Even though pipeline transportation is the safest and most economical means of transportation for our nation's energy products, OPS and pipeline operators are engaged in research to identify and develop more effective means of ensuring the safety of energy pipelines. Research and development efforts are looking at: damage prevention and leak detection technologies, enhanced operations, controls, and monitoring, and improved material performance.



What can I do to help keep pipelines safe?
Become aware of the presence of pipelines in your area. Know what to look for to recognize a pipeline emergency or unusual pipeline condition. Know what to do and who to contact in the event of a pipeline emergency. Anyone planning to dig, especially in an area that appears to be a pipeline right-of-way or where the presence of a pipeline is suspected, should call 1-888-258-0808 or their state's one call center at least 72 hours in advance of beginning the excavation. These calls are extremely important as they can help avoid pipeline ruptures resulting from digging which is the largest single cause of pipeline accidents. Based on the excavation location information provided in the call to the one-call center, the pipeline owner (and the owners of other nearby underground utilities) will be notified. The pipeline operator will locate and mark the specific location of the pipeline relative to the location of the planned excavation.



What is a pipeline right-of-way?
A pipeline right-of-way is a strip of land over and around pipelines where some of the property owner's legal rights have been granted to a pipeline company. A right-of-way agreement between the pipeline company and the property owner is also called an easement and is usually filed in the public records with property deeds. Rights-of-ways and easements provide a permanent, limited interest in the land that enables the pipeline company to operate, test, inspect, repair, maintain, replace, and protect one or more pipelines on property owned by others. The agreement may vary the rights and widths of the right-of-way, but generally, the pipeline company's right-of-ways extend 25 feet from each side of a pipeline unless special conditions exist.



How can I tell where a pipeline is located?
Since pipelines are usually buried underground, line markers and warning signs like the ones shown below are used to indicate their approximate location along the pipeline route. The markers and warning signs are in high-visibility colors (yellow or orange) and are located at frequent intervals along the pipeline right-of-way. The markers can be found where a pipeline intersects a street, highway, railway, or waterway, and at other prominent points along the route. The markers display the material transported in the line, the name of the pipeline operator, and a telephone number where the operator can be reached in the event of an emergency. Pumping stations, tank farms, and cleared rights-of-way also help signal that a pipeline is located nearby.



Pipeline right-of-ways are well marked to help prevent damage from digging, the most common cause of pipeline accidents. Anyone planning to dig, especially in an area that appears to be a pipeline right-of-way or where the presence of a pipeline is suspected, should contact the pipeline operator or their state's one call center at least 72 hours in advance of beginning the excavation. (The specific number of the state one-call center can be found by calling 1-888-258-0808.) These calls are extremely important as they can help avoid pipeline ruptures resulting from digging which is the largest single cause of pipeline accidents. Based on the excavation location information provided in the call to the one-call center, the pipeline owner (and the owners of other nearby underground utilities) will be notified. The pipeline operator will locate and mark the specific location of the pipeline relative to the location of the planned excavation.



Are pipeline markers always placed on top of the pipeline?
No. Markers and warning signs only indicate the general location of a pipeline. They cannot be relied upon to indicate the exact position of the pipeline they mark. Also, the pipeline may not follow a straight course between markers. And, while markers are helpful in locating pipelines, they are limited in the information they provide. They provide no information, for example, on the depth or number of pipelines in the vicinity. Contact the pipeline operator or the state's one call center for help in determining the specific location of a pipeline prior to beginning any excavation.



How does a pipeline operator determine if a leak or rupture has occurred?
Many leak detection systems and methods are used in the operation of pipelines, and, generally, a single pipeline will employ several of these. For example, sensitive instruments are monitored to detect conditions such as a drop in pressure or a change in the flow rate that might indicate a rupture. Also, lines are frequently inspected on foot, by car or from aircraft. Leaks rarely occur but many that do are due to damage caused by someone digging near the pipeline. Most of these damages can be prevented by notifying the pipeline operator or by calling the state one-call system before beginning an excavation. (Call 1-888-258-0808 for the number of the one-call system in your state.) to determine the location of nearby pipelines. The pipeline operator will determine and mark the specific location of the pipeline relative to the location of the planned excavation.



How are routes for new pipelines determined?

Natural Gas Pipelines
For natural gas pipelines, project planning begins with the basics of supply and demand. Generally, if there is a demand for natural gas, pipeline companies conduct a market analysis to estimate the size of the market. This gas supply requirement is typically expressed in terms of million cubic feet of gas per day. With this information engineers can begin to estimate the facilities required to transport the required volumes of gas and the cost to construct the pipeline facilities.

Engineers initially identify preliminary pipeline routes that will minimize impact to the public, public landowners and the environment. The pipeline company typically will go through a process of reviewing available maps of the region to be traversed, and available published environmental data to determine a number of possible alternatives, depending on the characteristics of the region. This desktop work will then be augmented by use of aerial and ground reconnaissance, to identify and select a preferred route.

Once a preferred route is identified, the pipeline company will begin contacting landowners to discuss the project and seek permission to conduct civil and environmental surveys. These surveys are required for use in the detailed pipeline design and for preparing local, state and federal permit applications. Even though pipeline officials may begin discussions with landowners at this point, it is important to remember that the project is undergoing a feasibility analysis, and neither the project nor the pipeline route is finalized at this time. Selecting a pipeline route often involves discussing and evaluating options with landowners, environmental agencies and regulatory officials. If the market analysis ultimately justifies the cost of pipeline construction, only then will the pipeline company begin seeking permits and preparing a detailed project application for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Oil Pipelines
For oil pipelines, potential routes are also initially suggested by demand patterns, including:
  · The predicted required flow of crude oil from a producing field to a refinery complex.
  · The expected flow of refined products from a refinery complex to population centers or markets.

Oil pipeline route alternatives are then determined on the basis of studies of the cost of construction, projected growth in population centers, demand for transportation service over a period of time, and rates that are competitive and provide a reasonable return on investment. Once alternatives have been analyzed, an environmental study helps to select the most feasible option in terms of protecting the safety of the environment and the safety of those who live in the vicinity of the proposed pipeline right-of-way. These environmental studies generally follow procedures set out by federal and state law, sometimes resulting in Environmental Impact Statements or Environmental Assessments that are published in draft form for public comment. Finally, permissions must be obtained to use an easement corridor, the pipeline right-of-way. Owners of private and public property negotiate with the pipeline companies and sign leases for the use of their land.