By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 19 -- Pipelines accounted for 67.80% of total US crude oil and petroleum product shipments in 2002, up from 66.24% in 2001.
Total 2002 shipments of crude and products carried by various modes of transportation were 864.6 billion ton miles of which pipelines carried 67.80%, water carriers 26.32%, trucks 3.54%, and railroads 2.34%.
The Washington, DC-based Association of Oil Pipe Lines reported that pipelines carried 586.2 billion ton miles in 2002, the most recent year for which data are available. The comparative figure for 2001 was 576.1 billion ton miles.
The 2002 numbers showed that the percentage of crude oil and refined products carried by pipelines was 21% higher in 2002 than in 1982. This trend confirmed a continuing, long-term shift from waterborne transportation to pipelines, an AOPL news release said.
Water carriers accounted for 95.7 billion ton miles, or 24.9%, of 2002 total US crude shipments compared with 98.1 billion ton miles, or 26%, in 2001. AOPL attributed this to a decrease in US coastwise shipments.
AOPL annually compiles the data reported by operators to federal government regulators and issues an annual report for the industry. Each report looks back 20 years, comparing the volumes carried by pipelines, water carriers, trucks, and railroads. The amounts carried by trucks are estimated.
"Even though pipelines benefit every person and business in America, most people don't realize the scope of the industry's contribution. We deliver more than two-thirds of the country's oil and petroleum cheaply, efficiently and on time," said Ben Cooper, executive director of the Association of Oil Pipe Lines.
