API report confirms pipeline safety

Pipelines continue to be one of the safest ways to transport energy across the US according to API AND the Association OF Oil Pipe Lines.
The joint report states that despite a 13% increase over the last five years in miles of pipeline delivering crude oil, petroleum products and NGLs, pipeline incidents per mile larger than 500 barrels have declined by nearly a third.
Additionally, incidents potentially impacting people or the environment outside of the operator’s facility are down 52% since 1999.
The report details industry-wide pipeline safety principles, provides a transparent analysis of industry safety record, which includes where performance is improving and where challenges remain and outlines the efforts operators are making in advancing technologies and implementing approaches to inspecting, monitoring and managing pipeline safety programmes.
API pipeline manager David Murk says: ‘This report shows the tremendous priority we place on pipeline safety, but as an industry we can always do more. By constantly evaluating our safety programmes and activities, learning from past experiences, and making timely and adequate adjustments, our industry will continue working towards its goal of zero incidents.’
To read the report in full, click here.