Oil and gas pipelines

• Summary: Oil and gas pipelines are continuous pipe conduits for transporting oil and natural and/or supplemental gas from one point to another. Pipelines provide one of the safest, most efficient, and economical solutions for transporting oil and gas resources.

Pipeline networks are composed of several types of equipment: valves, pumps/compressor stations, communications systems, and meters. The flow of oil is kept in motion by pumps, while natural gas pipelines require special compressors. Both pumps and compressors are installed along the pipeline to maintain the flow of products.

Oil pipelines are made from steel or plastic tubes. Oil pipeline networks usually include crude oil and refined products pipelines. For crude oil, its pipelines can be subdivided into “gathering lines” and “trunk lines.” Gathering lines are small-diameter pipelines (2–8 inches) tapping into the oil fields to gather the sources to the trunk lines, which have a larger diameter (8–48 inches) and serve the purpose of delivering crude oil to refineries. Pipelines that deliver refined petroleum products also vary in size (8–42 inches). The endpoint of the refined products pipeline is not users but rather large fuel terminals where products are loaded onto tanker trucks and delivered to retail points, such as gas stations.

Natural gas pipelines are usually constructed of carbon steel to withstand the higher pressure of compressed gas. Gas pipeline networks also have small gathering systems and large cross- or inter-country transmission pipelines. Another difference between gas and oil refined product pipelines is that the former is delivered directly to users through local distribution lines.

The Largest Network in the World

The United States has the most extensive oil and gas pipeline network in the world. According to 2024 federal data, the country had more than 223,000 miles of liquid petroleum pipelines. In addition to delivering petroleum products to consumers, these pipelines moved crude oil from oil fields on land and offshore to refineries. The United States also had about 3 million miles of mainline and other natural gas pipelines. Mains, or large distribution lines, moved the gas to cities, where much smaller service lines delivered the gas to consumers.

The US government ordered the construction of two of its most well-known pipelines, named the Big Inch and Little Big Inch, from 194243 to avoid the dangers tankers would face from German submarines during World War II. The Big Inch was 24 inches in diameter and transported crude oil, while the Little Big Inch was 20 inches in diameter and transported refined products. The two pipelines ran from East Texas to the northeastern United States. After the war ended in 1945, the Big Inch was converted to natural gas and leased and later sold to a private corporation.

Although pipeline companies prefer to operate their systems as close to full capacity as possible to maximize their revenues, the average utilization rate (flow rate/design capacity) seldom reaches 100 percent. Several factors contribute to this outcome: scheduled or unscheduled maintenance, temporary decreases in market demand, and weather-related limitations to operations.

Pipeline Safety Issues and Technological Solutions

The flammability of oil and gas raises special concerns for pipeline safety. There are many historical records of oil and gas pipeline exploration accidents. Leakage accidents are usually attributed to pipeline aging and corrosion. Numerous technological solutions to avoid leakage and enhance surveillance have been developed. The most economical method to avoid corrosion is to use pipeline coatings and pipeline monitoring technologies. Some monitoring technologies require walking along the line to detect potential leakage; others use remote satellite surveillance systems. Computation pipeline monitoring systems (CPMs) are the most commonly used technology to monitor pipeline safety. CPMs bring on-field information such as pressures, flows, and temperatures, back to control rooms.

The control rooms use a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system to analyze and control the sensor–based data in order to estimate the status of the pipelines. The estimation is then compared to the baseline scenario to detect anomalies and leaks, as well as plan for preventive maintenance. Sometimes, a video pipeline monitoring system that provides visual assistance to the human operator to facilitate problem attribution and decision making is also incorporated into the CPM. Although a growing number of monitoring technologies have emerged to meet the safety demands, many are not ready for commercialization because of the high costs to install such technologies. Besides monitoring, some pipeline systems suffer from severe aging problems and require replacement.

Bibliography

“Annual Report Mileage for Hazardous Liquid or Carbon Dioxide Systems.” Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 8 Apr. 2026, www.phmsa.dot.gov/data-and-statistics/pipeline/annual-report-mileage-hazardous-liquid-or-carbon-dioxide-systems. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

Goodland, Robert, et al. Oil and Gas Pipelines Social and Environmental Impact Assessment: State of Art. International Association of Impact Assessment Conference, 2005.

Herberg, Mikkal E., et al. Pipeline Politics in Asia: The Intersection of Demand, Energy Markets, and Supply Routes. National Bureau of Asian Research, 2010.

“Natural Gas Pipelines.” US Energy Information Administration, 19 Mar. 2024, www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/natural-gas-pipelines.php. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

White, Gregory. “The 15 Oil and Gas Pipelines That Are Changing the World’s Strategic Map.” www.businessinsider.com/the-15-oil-and-gas-pipelines-changing-the-worlds-strategic-map-2010-3. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.