How fast does oil travel through a pipeline

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What are the different types of pipelines? From the time oil and gas leave the ground, until they reach the final market destination, they are transported through several different types of pipelines: Gathering pipelines move oil and gas from the wells in the ground to processing facilities. Related Content. Image Credit: Wall Street Journal.

How does oil move through the pipe? Usually, centrifugal pumps are used to pump oil through a pipeline. Depending on topography and the specific type of pipeline, every 20 to miles a pump provides pressure to keep it moving. The pumps operate with electric motors, or in some cases, diesel engines or gas turbines. Computers control all aspects of the pipeline. This continuous flow of data is important since most pipelines run 24 hours a day, days a year.

Now, you might be wondering about speed. How fast does oil flow through a pipeline? Oil pipelines are the most efficient way to move oil, but it does take a while. As above, it depends on the terrain, size of pipe, and pressure, but it moves at around 3 to 8 miles per hour, according to Allegro Energy Group. How do companies decide where to build their pipelines?

The best way to start figuring out where to build is following the path of existing pipelines or power sources. This minimizes the impact to the environment and surrounding communities. Balancing the factors of existing right of ways, stakeholders, and environment are all taken into account. Avoiding populated areas as well as areas of cultural significance narrow down the build sites.

Then, environmental impact studies are done to ensure no negative effects. Bodies of water are actually tunneled under with horizontal directional drilling, or HDD to keep them at least feet under the bottom of any water.

Since pipelines travel so far, they cross under creeks, rivers, roads, fields, and parks. Easement agreements are understandings between pipeline companies and property owners concerning the building of a pipeline on private property.

The construction area around the pipe can be feet, but permanent rights-of-way can be much less. Pipeline companies are responsible for maintaining their right-of-way to protect the environment and people. Transmission lines are used when oil and liquids have to travel long distances. To push the liquid through the pipe, powerful pumps are used and move oil at around walking speed.

The process is similar for natural gas pipelines—extracted natural gas is transported for processing in gathering and feeder lines, then moves into large transmission pipelines generally composed of steel pipe. Gas is able to flow as it moves from areas of high pressure to low pressure. This pressure difference is obtained through the use of compressors that increase the pressure of the gas, pushing it along.

Although they are a necessary part of the use and transportation of assorted petroleum products, there are environmental concerns with the construction and operation of pipelines that vary depending on how and where the pipelines are being built.

Some of the concerns include: [6]. Pipelines have been constructed extensively for many years and thus there are numerous steps taken to minimize any environmental effects. The environmental impacts cannot be avoided entirely, only reduced. Although these issues are all concerning, most people are concerned with a rupture in a pipeline and a spill. A spill of petroleum products can cause significant environmental damage and pose a risk to human health—as they can burn, contain toxic chemicals, and pollute groundwater.

However, pipeline ruptures are not extremely common, but they do occur. Older pipelines are much more vulnerable to rupture as a result of corrosion. Although large scale ruptures do not occur frequently, there were small scale ruptures in Alberta pipelines between and with fewer occurring each year. Large scale ruptures release between and 10 cubic meters of liquids and do not occur as frequently. As was discussed above, Canadian pipelines are not only varied in what they can carry but expansive.