Pipeline
FERC
(Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) Requires Constitution Pipeline Developers to Consider Existing Pipeline Routes Instead of Building New
August 10, 2012 in Uncategorized
A controversial interstate gas transmission pipeline project slated to bring PA Marcellus Shale gas to NYC and Boston was sent a directive by FERC that it must consider using existing pipeline routes instead. The Oneonta Daily Star attributes the unremarkable suggestion that the developers first consider colocation with existing pipelines, or just running the gas through the existing piplines, to anti-fracking activist Ann Marie Garti:
The suggestion of having the Pennsylvania shale gas reach the Eastern Seaboard through existing pipes had been made to FERC last month by a Constitution Pipeline opponent, Anne Marie Garti of East Meredith. She said she believes the project is unnecessary and would end up taking in gas from hydrofracked New York wells. The pipeline planners have repeatedly said the latter scenario is not under consideration, insisting the system is for gas from Pennsylvania.
Gas pipeline suit moving to Pa. court
The Associated Press Oct 24, 2011
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A natural gas driller is moving its lawsuit against homeowners who oppose a pipeline project from federal court to state court.
The Citizens' Voice of Wilkes-Barre ( bit.ly/riPRWj) reports Chief Gathering LLC will take its suit against homeowners to state court after a federal judge said the company had failed to show the suit belongs in his court.
The sister company to Chief Oil & Gas is suing three couples who have attempted to block the company's plan to construct a pipeline through their development. The residents sued a neighbor who struck a deal with Chief Gathering, saying the agreement violates the neighborhood's covenants.
The 24-inch pipeline would run from Susquehanna County, through Wyoming County and into Luzerne County. After crossing through the development it would link with the Transco interstate pipeline.
Information from: The Citizens' Voice, http://www.citizensvoice.com
Keystone XL Pipeline
The Canadian oil and gas company TransCanada hopes to begin building a new oil pipeline that would trek close to 2,000 miles from Alberta, Canada to Texas. If constructed, the pipeline, known as the Keystone XL, will carry one of the world’s dirtiest fuels: tar sands oil. Along its route from Alberta to Texas, this pipeline could devastate ecosystems and pollute water sources, and would jeopardize public health.
Giant oil corporations invested in Canada's tar sands are counting on the Keystone XL pipeline to make the expansion of oil extraction operations profitable: The pipeline would double imports of dirty tar sands oil into the United States.
Before TransCanada can begin construction, however, the company needs a presidential permit from the Obama administration.
Your voice is needed to tell the Obama administration to say “no” to the Keystone XL pipeline and the highly polluting tar sands oil that would come with it.
Dirty tar sands oil
Pollution from tar sands oil greatly eclipses that of conventional oil. During tar sands oil production alone, levels of carbon dioxide emissions are three times higher than those of conventional oil, due to more energy-intensive extraction and refining processes. The Keystone XL pipeline would carry 900,000 barrels of dirty tar sands oil into the United States daily, doubling our country's reliance on it and resulting in climate-damaging emissions equal to adding more than six million new cars to U.S. roads.
Water waste
During the tar sands oil extraction process, vast amounts of water are needed to separate the extracted product, bitumen, from sand, silt, and clay. It takes three barrels of water to extract each single barrel of oil. At this rate, tar sands operations use roughly 400 million gallons of water a day. Ninety percent of this polluted water is dumped into large human-made pools, known as tailing ponds, after it’s used. These ponds are home to toxic sludge, full of harmful substances like cyanide and ammonia, which has worked its way into neighboring clean water supplies.
Indigenous populations
Northern Alberta, the region where tar sands oil is extracted, is home to many indigenous populations. Important parts of their cultural traditions and livelihood are coming under attack because of tar sands operations. Communities living downstream from tailing ponds have seen spikes in rates of rare cancers, renal failure, lupus, and hyperthyroidism. In the lakeside village of Fort Chipewyan, for example, 100 of the town’s 1,200 residents have died from cancer.
These problems will only get worse, unless tar sands production is halted. Unfortunately, an area the size of Florida is already set for extraction. Investing in a new pipeline would increase the rate of production, while decreasing the quality of life for indigenous populations.
Pipeline spills
TransCanada already attempted to cut corners by seeking a safety waiver to build the pipeline with thinner-than-normal steel and to pump oil at higher-than-normal pressures. Thanks to the pressure exerted by Friends of the Earth and allies, the company withdrew its safety waiver application in August 2010.
The threat of spills remains. In summer 2010, a million gallons of tar sands oil poured into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan from a pipeline run by another Canadian company, Enbridge. The spill exposed residents to toxic chemicals, coated wildlife and has caused long-term damage to the local economy and ecosystem.
Heightening concerns, TransCanada's Keystone I pipeline has spilled a dozen times in less than a year of operation, prompting a corrective action order from the Department of Transportation. Experts warn that the more acidic and corrosive consistency of the type of tar sands oil being piped into the U.S. makes spills more likely, and have joined the EPA in calling on the State Department to conduct a thorough study of these risks.
The Keystone XL pipeline would traverse six U.S. states and cross major rivers, including the Missouri River, Yellowstone, and Red Rivers, as well as key sources of drinking and agricultural water, such as the Ogallala Aquifer, which supplies two million Americans.
Refining tar sands oil
After traveling through the Keystone XL pipeline, tar sands oil would be brought to facilities in Texas to be further refined. Refining tar sands oil is dirtier than refining conventional oil, and results in higher emissions of toxic sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide. These emissions cause smog and acid rain and contribute to respiratory diseases like asthma. Communities near the refineries where the Keystone XL pipeline would terminate, many of them low-income and communities of color, already live with dangerously high levels of air pollution. The Keystone XL pipeline would further exacerbate the heavy burden of pollution and environmental injustices these communities confront.
Stopping the pipeline
Tar sands oil is one of the dirtiest fuels on the Earth. Investing in tar sands oil now will delay investments in clean and safe alternatives to oil, such as better fuel economy requirements, plug-in electric cars fueled by solar power, and smart growth and public transportation infrastructure that give Americans choices other than cars.
Soon, President Obama will decide the fate of this pipeline. Tell President Obama to say “no” to dirty tar sands oil.
Take action now
Tell President Obama to halt construction of the Keystone XL
Social media
Resources
Fact sheets:
Keystone XL: Pipeline for Dirty Tar Sands Oil [pdf]
Evidence of State Department bias in Keystone XL review [pdf]
Interviews -- Telling their stories: The Fight to Stop the Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline
Uncovering oil lobbyist influence -- Read about the intensifying scandal regarding the State Department's Keystone XL review
Infographic -- Keystone XL pipeline corruption investigation
Nationwide organizing -- Learn more about the Tar Sands Action's nationwide organizing
Press releases and related media
Read our Keystone XL controversy news round up from October 14, 2011
Read our Keystone XL controversy news round up from October 5, 2011
Read our round up of Keystone XL controversy news following the release of "smoking gun" State Department documents, our lawsuit against the State Department and the expansion of our FOIA request, October 3, 2011 - October 6, 2011
"For Obama, Peer Pressure from Nobel Laureates," New York Times, September 19, 2011
"Poll finds solid opposition to pipeline," World-Herald News Service, September 19, 2011
"State Department Keystone XL pipeline impacts analysis slammed as inadequate," Friends of the Earth, August 26, 2011.
"Tar Sands and the Carbon Numbers," New York Times editorial, August 21, 2011.
"Dozens arrested outside White House in Keystone pipeline protests," The Canadian Press, August 20, 2011.
"Pipeline from Canada may already have U.S. backing," Los Angeles Times, July 13, 2011.
"Study warns of leak risks of Canada-U.S. oil pipe," Reuters, July 11, 2011.
"Without Keystone XL, oil sands face choke point," The Globe and Mail, June 8, 2011.
"EPA lining up with Keystone XL critics," Lincoln Journal Star, June 7, 2011.
"Perilous pipeline: Will Hillary Clinton give the OK to a massive tar-sands pipeline?" Grist, June 3, 2011.
"Keystone Oil Pipeline: Regulators Block Restart Of Keystone Oil Pipeline, Cite Leaks," Huffington Post, June 3, 2011.
"New Report Reveals ‘Dirty Business’ Practices of TransCanada Pipelines," Friends of the Earth, April 28, 2011
"State Department Releases Supplemental Environmental Analysis on Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline," Friends of the Earth, April 15, 2011
Exxon oil pipeline ruptures and spills into Yellowstone River
Posted: Jul 2, 2011 9:20 AM by Q2 News
Updated: Jul 2, 2011 3:19 PM
UPDATE: 11:10 a.m. - An Exxon oil pipeline running underneath the Yellowstone River near Laurel ruptured late last night and sent an undetermined amount of oil down river. The oil leak prompted the evacuation of several residents along the river. The rupture occured in a 12 inch line near the boat ramp at RIverside Park near Laurel. Oil has been washing along shore from Laurel to Pompeys Pillar and the fast moving river will continue to push the sheen to the east. Exxon spokesperson Pam Malek said the company regrets the crude release and apologizes to the neighbors in the area affected. Exxon has a local spill contain team on site and will bring in a global response team from their Houston office later today. There is no estimate on how much oil has spilled into the Yellowstone. Exxon has set up a toll free number for people to call with questions. The number is 1-888-382-0043. Yellowstone County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Duane Winslow said the rupture was reported around 11:30pm Friday night. They contacted all of the companies who would have pipelines running across the river at that location to get the lines shut down. The ruptured pipeline was shut down within a half an hour. Winslow says drinking water is safe. Initially the City of Billings shut down the water intake but it has since been opened. Agencies will continue to monitor water samples. Several residents have called in to complain about a strong odor along the river. Deb Hendrick of Riverstone Health says they will be available to answer health questions today at 247-3200. The spill will involve local, state, and federal government officials. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will send a team from Denver today.
Photo from Rory Rogina
http://www.ktvq.com/news/exxon-oil-pipeline-ruptures-and-spills-into-yellowstone-river/
Link to more Yellowstone oil spill photos
http://www.ktvq.com/galleries/yellowstone-river-oil-spill/
Exxon starts removing damaged oil pipeline
Published: Nov. 7, 2011 at 10:17 AM
BILLINGS, Mont., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- It may take weeks for salvage teams in Montana to remove a section of the ruptured Silvertip pipeline for an independent investigation, an official said.
Crews worked through heavy snow last weekend in starting operations to remove a section of the pipeline from the Yellowstone River near Billings, Mont.
Crews working for Exxon Mobil set up a coffer dam around the pipeline and deployed mechanical "pigs" to clean out the damaged section.
An Exxon Mobile spokeswoman told the Billings Gazette it would take several weeks to get the pipeline out of the ground. The section is to be sent to an independent facility for analysis.
Around 1,200 barrels of oil spilled from Exxon Mobil's Silvertip pipeline into the Yellowstone River near Billings in early July. Flooding slowed cleanup efforts and teams were sent in to remove debris soaked with oil after water levels dropped.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in September approved of the energy company's return-to-service plan, which allows Exxon to restart operations on Silvertip.
The PHMSA added it was still determining whether Exxon broke safety regulations during the days leading up to the July 1 failure on the pipeline
Partial List of Pipeline Accidents in the U.S. 2010 & 2011
2010s
2010 A gas pipeline exploded near Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, in January, killing a pipeline employee.[617]
2010 On February 1, a plumber trying to unclog a sewer line in St. Paul, Minnesota ruptured a gas service line that has been "cross bored" through the house's sewer line. The plumber & resident escape the home moments before as an explosion & following fire destroyed the home. The Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety ordered that gas utility, Xcel, to check for more cross bored gas lines. In the following year, 25,000 sewer lines inspected showed 57 other cross bored gas lines. In Louisville, Kentucky, 430 gas line cross bores were found in 200 miles (320 km) of a sewer project, including some near schools and a hospital. The NTSB had cited such cross bore incidents as a known hazard since 1976.[618][619]
2010 On February 25, a natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline ruptured near Pond Creek, Oklahoma, releasing over 575,000 US gallons (2,180,000 L) of NGL's, and forcing road closures. There was no fire.[620][621]
2010 At approximately 8:10 am CST, March 1, Mid-Valley Pipeline identified a release of crude oil in the manifold area of the Mid-Valley tank farm in Longview, TX. Crude oil was observed “gushing” from the soil in the manifold area, and 198 barrels of crude oil were estimated to have been released and 196 barrels were recovered from the secondary containment area within Mid-Valley’s site[622].
2010 A 24 inch diameter gas pipeline bursts, but did not ignite near Pampa, Texas on March 15.[623]
2010 On March 25, there was a release of 1700 barrels of Vacuum Gas Oil (VGO) from the FM-1 pipeline into an open in-ground valve pit and the surrounding area in the West Yard of the Sunoco, R&M Philadelphia refinery in Philadelphia, PA. The area was under the control of the Operator in a fenced off area that is off-limits to the public.[624]
2010 A crude oil pipeline ruptures near near Green River, Wyoming, on April 5. At least 84,000 US gallons (320,000 L) of crude were spilled. Corrosion in the pipeline was the cause.[525]
2010 A BP pipeline carrying gasoline leaked nearly 93,000 US gallons (350,000 L) into a farm field over the Memorial Day weekend. The leak occurred in Constantine Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan.[525][625]
2010 On June 7, a 36 inch diameter gas pipeline explosion and fire in Johnson County, Texas, was caused by workers installing poles for electrical lines. One worker killed, and six were injured. Confusion over the location and status of the construction work lead to the pipeline not being marked beforehand.[626][627]
2010 On June 8, construction workers hit an unmarked 14 inch gas gathering pipeline near Darrouzett, Texas. Two workers were killed.[626][628]
2010 On June 12, a crude oil pipeline damage by lightning ruptured, causing 800 barrels (130 m3) of crude to spill into Red Butte Creek in Salt Lake City, Utah. Crude then flowed in a pond in Liberty Park.[629]
2010 On July 26, the pipeline company, Enbridge Energy Partners LLP (Enbridge), reported that a 30-inch (760 mm) pipeline belonging to Enbridge burst in Marshall, Michigan. The company estimates over 800,000 US gallons (3,000,000 L) of crude oil leaked into Talmadge Creek, a waterway that feeds the Kalamazoo River,[630][631][632] whereas EPA believes over 1 million US gallons (3,800 m3) of oil may have leaked into the river.[633] On July 27, 2010, an Administrative Order was issued by U.S. EPA requiring the performance of removal actions in connection with the facility. The Order requires Enbridge to immediately conduct removal of a discharge or to mitigate or prevent a substantial threat of a discharge of oil and to submit a Work Plan for the cleanup activities that was to include a Health and Safety Plan,[634] as required by 29 CFR 1910.120 (HAZWOPER). An oil spill cleanup contractor from Texas, Hallmark, bussed numerous undocumented workers to Battle Creek to work on the cleanup of oil spill and had them work in unsafe conditions.[635]
2010 On August 10, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department announced that Plains All American Pipeline and several of its operating subsidiaries have agreed to spend approximately $41 million to upgrade 10,420 miles (16,770 km) of crude oil pipeline operated in the United States. The settlement resolves Plains’ Clean Water Act violations for 10 crude oil spills in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and requires the company to pay a $3.25 million civil penalty.[636]
2010 A construction crew installing a gas pipeline in Roberts County, Texas hits an unmarked pipeline on August 25, seriously burning one man.[637]
2010 On August 27, a LPG pipeline sprang a leak in Gilboa, New York, forcing the evacuation of 23 people.[638][639]
2010 On Thursday, September 9, a high pressure gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno, CA, a suburb of San Francisco. The blast destroyed 38 homes and damaged 120 homes. Eight people died and many were injured. Ten acres of brush also burned. Later, PG&E was unable to supply the California Public Utilities Commission with documents on how PG&E established pressure limits on some of its gas transmission pipelines. It was also revealed that this pipeline had 26 leaks between Milpitas and San Francisco during the time of 1951 to 2009, with some of the leak causes listed in records as "unknown".Later hydrostatic testing of the same pipeline that failed found a pinhole leak, and a previously damaged section blew out.[640][641][642][643][644]
2010 A repair crew was working on a corroded gas pipe in Cairo, Georgia on September 28, when the line exploded. One crew member was killed, and 3 others burned.[645]
2010 A gas pipeline under construction in Grand Prairie, Texas was running a cleaning pig on October 15 without a pig "trap" at the end of the pipe. The 150 pound pig was expelled from the pipeline with enough force to fly 500 feet (150 m), and crash through the side of a house. No one was injured.[646]
2010 On November 12, three men working on natural gas lines were injured when a pieline ruptured in Monroe, Louisiana.[647]
2010 A 30 inch diameter gas pipeline fails at Natchitoches, Louisiana on November 30. There was no fire, but the pipeline had a Magnetic Flux smart pig test earlier in the year that indicated no flaws in the pipeline. The deadly 1965 gas pipeline accident occurred on a different pipeline owned by the same company nearby.[648]
2010 A valve on a crude oil pipeline leaked about 500 barrels (79 m3) of crude in Salt Lake City, Utah on December 1. This failure was only 100 yards from a June 2010 failure on the same pipeline.[649]
2010 A pipeline was discovered gasoline leaking near Livingston, Illinois, on December 2.[650]
2010 On December 14, a pipeline leaks crude oil near Lockport, Illinois. EPA officials say the spill is near wetlands that house several endangered species. Federal officials say about 21,000 US gallons (79,000 L) of oil were released in Lockport and Romeoville, about 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Chicago.[651]
2010 On December 17, a gas line fire and explosion just outside of Corpus Christi, Texas city limits leaves one person critically injured. A man was working on removing an abandoned pipeline when it exploded, and the man's face was severely burned.[652]
2010 A pipeline at an underground gas storage facility in Covington County, Mississippi on December 28, forcing the evacuation of about 2 dozen families for over a week.[653]
2011 A gas main being repaired in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania explodes, killing a repair crew member and injuring 6 others on January 18.[654]
2011 Gas pressure regulators failed and caused a gas pressure surge in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, on January 24, causing gas fires in 11 homes, and one apartment. 150 gas appliances were damaged or destroyed, but there were no injuries. Gas company Dominion East Ohio says it found fluids and debris in a failed regulator and is investigating how that happened.[655][656][657]
2011 5 people are killed and 8 homes are destroyed in an apparent gas explosion and fire in Allentown, Pennsylvania on February 10. The NTSB had warned UGI about cast iron gas mains needing replacement after the 1990 gas explosion in that city. Between 1976 and the date of the letter, July 10, 1992, two more gas explosions occurred. Three people were killed, 23 injured and 11 homes were destroyed or damaged in those explosions.[658][659][660]
2011 Late on February 10, a 36 inch diameter gas transmission pipeline explodes near Lisbon, Ohio. No injuries resulted. The cause was from stress on a joint on the pipeline.[661][662]
2011 Early on February 24, a pipeline near Texas City, Texas ruptured, sending up to 5,000 US gallons (19,000 L) of gasoline into Bayou Pierre.[663][664]
2011 Early on March 17, a 20-inch steel natural gas line running through a Minneapolis, Minnesota neighborhood ruptured and gas from it ignited, caused evacuations to buildings nearby, and Interstate 35W was closed from downtown Minneapolis to Highway 62. There were no injuries.[665][666]
2011 A farmer & rancher near White Oak Township, Michigan smelled gasoline on April 13, and discovered gasoline from a products pipeline leaking into a drainage ditch. As of late September, an estimated 460,000 gallons of gasoline had been released, with about 111,000 gallons of it recovered.[667]
2011 On May 19, a 10 inch diameter crude oil pipeline ruptured near Maysville, Oklahoma. Over 42,000 US gallons (160,000 L) of crude were lost. There was no fire. Internal pipeline corrosion was the cause.[668][669]
2011 A 2 inch diameter lateral on a crude oil pipeline rupture in Huntington Beach, California on July 1. A major road, Goldenwest Street, had to be closed for cleaning and pipeline repairs.[670]
2011 Late on July 2, a 12-inch diameter Exxon Mobil crude oil pipeline ruptured, and spilled oil into the Yellowstone River in south-central Montana. Some residents of Laurel, Montana had to be evacuated.[671][672] The break near Billings fouled the riverbank and forced municipalities and irrigation districts to close intakes.[673][674] As much as 1,000 barrels (160 m3), or 42,000 US gallons (160,000 L), of oil spilled before the flow through the damaged pipeline was stopped, officials said.[675] About 140 people were evacuated starting about 12:15 a.m. Saturday due to concerns about possible explosions and the overpowering fumes. All were allowed to return after instruments showed petroleum odors had decreased,[676] although no information was available regarding the concentrations of benzene in air. Speculation involves high water flow in yje Yellowstone River may have scoured the river bed and exposed the pipe. Consequently, with three oil refineries are located in the Billings area, the fire chief for the city of Laurel said he asked all three to turn off the flow of oil in their pipelines under the river after the leak was reported. ExxonMobil and Cenex Harvest Refinery did so, and that Conoco Phillips said its pipe was already shutdown.[676] Cenex had a release into the Yellowstone River in September 2002. Exxon Mobil later announced the cleanup would cost $135 million.[677]
2011 On July 20, a six month old 30 inch diameter natural gas pipeline exploded near Gillette, Wyoming, creating a 60-foot (18 m) crater. There was no fire, nor any injuries.[678]
2011 A pipeline carrying jet fuel ruptured in Mango, Florida on July 22. About 31,500 US gallons (119,000 L) of fuel spilled. There was no fire or injuries.[679]
2011 On August 13, an 8 inch diameter NGL pipeline ruptured near Onowa, Iowa at a Missouri River crossing, during flooding conditions. About 3,350 barrels of NGL's were lost. There were no evacuations or injuries, but 2 other pipelines in the same right of way were forced to shut down. [680][681]
2011 A pipeline carrying heating oil was hit by construction workers in East Providence, Rhode Island on August 31, spraying oil on roofs, trees, and pavement, and flowed into storm drains. At least 56,000 US gallons (210,000 L) of oil were spilled.[682]
2011 A Cupertino, California condominium was gutted August 31, after a plastic pipeline fitting cracked, filling the garage with natural gas that exploded just minutes after the owner left for lunch. PG&E later found six other plastic pipe failures near the blast site. The line was an especially problematic type of pipe manufactured by DuPont called Aldyl-A. PG&E has 1,231 miles (1,981 km) of the early-1970s-vintage pipe in its system. Federal regulators singled out pre-1973 Aldyl-A starting in 2002 as being at risk of failing because of premature cracking. Explosions caused by failed Aldyl-A and other types of plastic pipe have killed more than 50 people in the United States since 1971, the federal government says. [683]
2011 On September 20, a farmer digging to lay drainage tile hit a 10 inch diameter gasoline pipeline near Aurelius, New York, spilling about 3,300 US gallons (12 m3) of gasoline. There was no fire or injuries.[684]
A 2 inch diameter crude oil gathering pipeline failed in Oklahoma on October 12, spilling about 120 barrels of oil. There were no injuries or fire from the failure.[685]
2011 Early on November 3, an explosion and fire hit a gas transmission pipeline compressor station near Artemas, Pennsylvania. There were no injuries.[686]