Pipeline Spills Reduced

In 1999 a voluntary environmental pipeline performance tracking system was started. The petroleum pipeline industry has reduced both the number and volume of crude, refined product, and highly volatile liquid (HVL) spills. An increased emphasis on managing pipeline risk have led to these reductions.

The Petroleum Pipeline Tracking System (PPTS) records detailed data and information about spills and releases, their causes and consequences. The pipeline members of the American Petroleum Institute and the Association of Oil Pipe Lines believe that tracking and learning from spills will further improve performance. In recent years that has proven to be true. The times where spills have been increased have been noted during natural catastrophes (hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Rita).

In 2004, pipeline operators participating in PPTS accounted for about 85% of the total interstate oil pipeline mileage and volume throughput. Data verification efforts are extensive and usually include an incident-by-incident comparison to releases reported with the DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, checking for completeness and accuracy. While specific incident information recorded in PPTS remains confidential, the data mining team (DMT) checks the data from all of the reported spills. The DMT publishes results of the analyses in advisories so the pipeline industry can better manage any possible pipeline risk.

Spills caused by equipment failures which include non-pipe components such as valves, fittings, and pumps and operator error showed their first significant declines in 2004. The increased emphasis on facilities integrity and risk management contributed to these declines.

Spills caused by corrosion can be controlled by the in-line inspection tools that identify potential corrosion locations. The pipeline repairs are identified and repaired before failure. So corrosion spills also continued to decline, led by the reduction in spills from crude oil systems. Crude oil spills were about one-third more numerous than refined product spills but declined rapidly due to improvements in corrosion spill prevention in onshore pipelines.

Between 2003 and 2004 the volumes released rose very slightly, due in part to releases related to Hurricane Ivan. The data for 2005 will also show a significant spill volume related to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which affected both onshore and offshore oil pipelines and associated shore-based facilities in the Gulf Coast.

Oil companies like Triple Diamond Energy Corporation join PPTS in their commitment to improving safety and environmental protection by the analysis of results of the pipeline spills.