Pipeline Incidents Affecting Environment Down 16% in 2018-22, Say API, LEPA

Pipeline incidents in the USA totaled 293 last year, down 112 and with 16 percent fewer occurrences affecting people or the environment over the past five years, according to a joint report by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Liquid Energy Pipeline Association (LEPA) Monday.

“Over the last five years, corrosion failures (28 percent) were the most frequent cause of incidents impacting people or the environment, followed by equipment failure (24 percent), incorrect operation (13 percent) and material pipe/ weld failures (12 percent)”, the industry associations said in their “2023-2025 Pipeline Excellence Strategic Plan & 2022 Performance Report”.

By their definition, pipeline incidents affecting people or the environment include those that directly harm people physically, lead to human displacement, impact wildlife or result in pollution. These incidents totaled 75 last year, from 89 in 2018.

“Incidents related to the pipeline itself, such as corrosion, cracking or weld failure, were down 6 percent over the last five years in areas impacting people or the environment”, the groups said. “In these areas, material pipe/weld failures were also down 29 percent from 2018 to 2022”.

“Large” incidents that affected people or the environment fell 22 percent over the last five years. “In 2022, approximately 57 percent of such incidents were less than 50 barrels, with only 19 percent of incidents impacting people or the environment 500 barrels or larger”, said the API, which has nearly 600 member companies, and the LEPA, which represents over 50 pipeline owners and operators.

Petroleum incidents comprised 55 percent of the total incidents in 2022, followed by refined products at 32 percent and natural gas liquids at 12 percent. “Carbon dioxide pipeline incidents are down 60 percent over the last five years, with two nationwide in 2022”, the report added.

“In 2022, there were 57 crude oil incidents and 18 refined products incidents impacting people or the environment. Refined products incidents impacting people or the environment are down 47 percent over the last five years”, the API and the LEPA wrote.

The groups have set a target of zero pipeline incidents. To achieve this, they listed four strategic goals: implementing relevant tech and innovation, bolstering stakeholder awareness and engagement, addressing cybersecurity threats and encouraging organizational and workforce excellence.

API-LEPA chair and ExxonMobil Pipeline Co. LLC president Steven Yatauro insisted in the report pipelines are a safe way to transport liquid energy. “A barrel of oil or refined products transported by pipeline arrives safely at its destination 99.999 percent of the time”, he claimed.

The USA had 229,888 total miles of liquids pipelines as of 2021, the latest available data, according to the report. Thirty-seven percent or 84,712 miles are petroleum pipelines, 33 percent are for natural gas liquids and 28 percent are refined products pipelines.

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