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. Oil Spillage 1998-2007
* 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.
Crude is a nasty material, very destructive when it spills into the environment, and very toxic when it contacts humans or animals. 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.
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