Pipelines And Pollution: What's The Real Damage?

Pipelines are a crucial part of the energy system, but they also pose significant risks to the environment and communities. While they are considered the safest method to transport fuels, pipeline accidents and leaks can lead to severe environmental damage, water and soil contamination, harm to wildlife, and adverse effects on human health. The construction and placement of pipelines can also impact the environment, with pipeline projects seizing private land and disturbing natural habitats. With the increasing complexity of pipeline networks, the threat of accidents and their consequences remains a growing concern.

Pipeline leaks and ruptures

Crude oil pipelines, for instance, pose both immediate and long-term dangers to the environment. When a leak or rupture occurs, oil can contaminate water sources, harm wildlife, and destroy vegetation. Oil spills can have devastating consequences for aquatic ecosystems, as they block sunlight, negatively impact plankton, and damage fish eggs. In addition, birds coated in oil may experience reduced buoyancy and grooming abilities, and ingesting oil can harm their internal organs.

Natural gas and propane leaks or ruptures also pose significant hazards. While propane typically does not cause long-term environmental damage, it can lead to near-term issues, including explosions, fires, injuries, fatalities, and the destruction of forests and animal habitats. Similarly, natural gas leaks can result in immense fires and explosions, causing physical destruction and contributing to climate change through the release of greenhouse gases like methane.

The age and condition of pipelines are crucial factors in preventing leaks and ruptures. Many pipelines in the U.S. were constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, and some are even older. Over time, pipelines may suffer from corrosion, shoddy workmanship, mismanagement, improper materials, equipment failure, and excavation damage, all of which increase the risk of failures.

The consequences of pipeline leaks and ruptures can be severe, as illustrated by several notable incidents. For example, the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill in Michigan released over 8,000 barrels of crude oil, leading to water and soil contamination and harming wildlife. Similarly, a 2013 rupture in Mayflower, Arkansas, caused by ExxonMobil, resulted in the release of 3,190 barrels of crude oil, leading to evacuations and adverse effects on wetland vegetation and wildlife.

Pipeline accidents and explosions

One of the most notable pipeline accidents in recent history is the Kalamazoo River oil spill in 2010. A crude oil pipeline ruptured near Marshall, Michigan, spilling over 800,000 gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River and surrounding wetlands. This accident caused water and soil contamination, impacting local wildlife and resulting in the evacuation of 21 homes.

Another example is the Mayflower, Arkansas, pipeline rupture in 2013, which released 3,190 barrels of crude oil into a suburban area. This accident also led to water and soil contamination and harmed wildlife. In 2017, the Keystone pipeline was shut down after a drop in pressure was detected, resulting in a spill of 5,000 barrels of oil.

Pipeline accidents can have severe environmental consequences, including contamination of water bodies, soil, and wildlife. For example, oil can coat birds' feathers, reducing their buoyancy and grooming abilities, and causing internal organ damage if ingested. Additionally, when oil spills into water sources, it blocks sunlight, negatively impacting plankton and fish eggs.

Natural gas and propane pipeline leaks or ruptures can also lead to explosions and fires, resulting in injuries, fatalities, wildfires, and destruction of forestation. These incidents can have far-reaching impacts, causing property damage, environmental pollution, and endangering nearby communities.

Environmental damage and pollution

Pipelines have been associated with risks due to failures, leading to significant negative consequences. They can cause environmental damage and pollution in various ways. Firstly, they can contaminate water supplies, as seen in Mayflower, Arkansas, where a pipeline rupture caused crude oil to reach a suburban area, polluting water and soil and harming wildlife. Oil spills can also spread into nearby water bodies, such as rivers and lakes, damaging aquatic ecosystems and drinking water sources. For example, the Kalamazoo River spill in 2010 impacted wetland vegetation, waterfowl, and various animal species.

Secondly, pipelines can cause air pollution and contribute to climate change. Natural gas leaks from pipelines can release methane, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming. Additionally, explosions and fires resulting from pipeline accidents can cause immense destruction to surrounding communities and further contribute to air pollution.

Thirdly, the construction and placement of pipelines can lead to environmental damage. Pipeline development can involve clearing large areas of forests, disturbing soil, and destroying vegetation and wildlife habitats. This can have long-lasting impacts on ecosystems and local communities, including Indigenous people, who may consider the affected lands sacred.

Moreover, pipeline accidents and leaks are common and can be caused by various factors, including age, corrosion, natural disasters, shoddy workmanship, and equipment failure. When pipelines carrying hazardous materials such as crude oil leak or rupture, they can have devastating consequences for wildlife and the environment. Oil can coat birds' feathers, impairing their ability to groom and reducing buoyancy. Ingesting oil can harm their internal organs. Oil spills can also block sunlight from reaching water sources, negatively impacting plankton and fish eggs.

Lastly, the lack of comprehensive federal regulatory frameworks for crude oil pipelines in some countries, such as the United States, contributes to the environmental risks associated with pipelines. The regulatory process is often piecemeal and streamlined, focusing on specific pipeline sections rather than addressing the bigger picture. This fragmented approach may hinder effective environmental protection and the prevention of pipeline-related pollution and accidents.

Health and safety risks

Pipelines pose a variety of health and safety risks. Firstly, they can cause air, water, and soil pollution, with oil spills being a common occurrence. For example, in 2013, a pipeline in Mayflower, Arkansas, ruptured, causing crude oil to reach a suburban area and contaminate water and soil. Oil spills can have devastating consequences for wildlife and the environment, with oil sticking to everything and killing wildlife that comes into contact with it or ingests it. Crude oil can also linger in the environment for years after cleanup efforts, and when it spreads on water sources, it blocks sunlight, negatively impacting plankton and fish eggs. In addition to oil spills, natural gas leaks from pipelines can be incredibly dangerous, as they can cause immense fires and explosions, leading to destruction and added environmental damage due to the release of greenhouse gases.

The safety risks associated with pipelines are exacerbated when they are not properly maintained and monitored. Pipeline accidents can occur due to material failure, external force damage, equipment failure, or improper operation, and small leaks are the most common type of accident. The majority of pipelines in the U.S. are antiquated, having been built in the 1950s and 1960s, and are thus more prone to leaks and ruptures. Furthermore, the regulatory framework for crude oil pipelines is often inadequate, with a mix of state and local requirements rather than a comprehensive federal framework. This lack of standardized regulation can hinder effective oversight and increase the likelihood of accidents.

The construction and placement of pipelines can also have negative consequences for the environment and local communities. Pipeline development can disturb the soil, destroy trees and vegetation, and harm wildlife habitats. It can also raise property rights issues, with companies seizing private land through eminent domain, and lead to social unrest, as seen with the Dakota Access Pipeline, which crossed through sacred tribal land of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Additionally, the expansion of pipelines enables the fossil fuel industry to increase production, contributing to rising climate pollution and locking in decades of environmental harm.

Climate change impacts

Pipelines have been the site of some of the biggest climate change battles in the United States. Climate activists, community members, and organizations have fought hard to oppose new pipelines. However, the Biden administration recently approved the Willow Project, an $8-billion oil project with the potential to emit 280 million metric tons of carbon emissions over its 30-year lifetime.

The construction and placement of pipelines can have negative effects on the environment. Pipeline leaks and ruptures can cause near-term and long-term harm to the environment. Crude oil pipelines are particularly hazardous, as they can contaminate water sources and soil, impacting wildlife and vegetation. Oil can coat birds' feathers, reducing their buoyancy and ability to groom, and causing internal organ damage if ingested. When oil sits on the surface of a water source, it blocks sunlight, negatively impacting plankton and damaging fish eggs. Pipeline leaks and ruptures can also lead to explosions and fires, causing injuries, fatalities, and destruction of forestation.

The United States has the largest oil and gas pipeline network in the world, at 2.6 million miles. These pipelines are a significant contributor to climate change, as they produce downstream and upstream carbon emissions. Even just one additional large-scale pipeline could lead to millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, pushing us further from our climate goals.

The impacts of climate change are not shared equally. Low-income households and communities of color are more likely to live in proximity to polluting industries like pipeline infrastructure, leading to disproportionate exposure to pollution from burning fossil fuels. These communities are also hit first and worst by climate-exacerbated events like extreme drought, major floods, wildfires, and urban heat islands.

To address climate change, there is a need to transition to clean energy and reduce emissions. This includes cancelling cross-border permits for existing oil and gas pipelines, assessing the climate impacts of liquefied natural gas exporting, and eliminating the nationwide permit system for fossil fuel pipelines. Stronger federal regulations and a comprehensive federal regulatory framework for crude oil pipelines are necessary to accelerate progress in addressing the climate crisis.

Frequently asked questions