70% of the oil and gas in the US is transported by pipeline.

Pipeline systems in the United States are chronically under regulated to guarantee safe transportation. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) only has 135 inspectors to oversee 2.6 million miles of pipeline. PHMSA or its state partners have inspected only one fifth of that pipeline system since 2006.

According to federal statistics, they have on average 280 significant gas pipeline incidents a year.
See Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration | dot.gov

Oil Spillage 1998-2007
TransportSpillage
Type % Av. BBL
per yr.
BBL per
Billion BBL Miles
Av. Number
of spills/yr
Pipeline 70% 76,754 BBL 135 195
Tank barge 23% 5,429 BBL 35 54
Tanker truck 4% 9,181 BBL 270
Rail 3% 1,431 BBL 67
BBL = Barrel = 42 gallons
* Includes coastal and inland pipelines.
Sources:
Intermodal safety in the transport of oil | The Fraser Institute, 2013
"Analysis of U.S. Oil Spillage" | American Petroleum Institute (www.api.org)
Pick Your Poison For Crude -- Pipeline, Rail, Truck Or Boat

Pipeline spillage amount dropped 35% from the previous decade (1988-1997) even though there were more spills, 195 vs 140.
Although barges appear to be safer per volume and distance of transport, a spill in a waterway is much more damaging.
Much of the pipeline spillage is on dry land or in retention basins at refineries.

Crude is a nasty material, very destructive when it spills into the environment, and very toxic when it contacts humans or animals.
Some will claim that oil is safer because it is under lower pressure, but it is more corrosive and will weaken pipes over time.

Gas leaks pose the danger of explosions and fire.

Overall, petroleum industry-related spillage represented 60.8% of total spillage from all sources (including non-industry sources related to oil consumption and usage) during the last decade. Over the last decade, total petroleum industry spillage was 10.6% of the amount released in natural seeps. Natural seeps released nearly nine times as much oil as the total of petroleum industry spillage.

Links:
Forbes: comparing crude delivery by pipeline, rail, truck and boat | The Benicia Independent, 2014
Pick Your Poison For Crude -- Pipeline, Rail, Truck Or Boat
Intermodal safety in the transport of oil | The Fraser Institute, 2013
"Analysis of U.S. Oil Spillage" (www.api.org)
America’s Dangerous Pipelines
Arkansas Oil Spill Sheds Light On Aging Pipeline System : NPR 2013
Significant Pipeline Incidents | Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA): Stakeholder Communications
List of pipeline accidents in the United States in the 21st century - Wikipedia


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last updated 26 Oct 2014