Total liquids pipeline incidents impacting people or the environment decreased 36% over the last 5 years, while total pipeline incidents were down 17%, according to the American Petroleum Institute (API) and Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL). The organizations’ 2019 Performance Report & 2020-2022 Strategic Plan also reported that pipeline incidents impacting people or the environment caused by corrosion, cracking, or weld failure decreased 50% over the last 5 years. Corrosion-based failures dropped 45%
The performance data presented by this report is government-collected data on pipeline incidents made publicly available by the US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Each year, API and AOPL download PHMSA incident data to analyze where pipeline operators are making progress and to focus upcoming industry-wide safety improvement efforts.
Pipeline incidents impacting people or the environment caused by equipment failure were down 15% over the last 5 years. Incidents related to installing and maintaining pipeline equipment or operating the pipeline and its valves or pumps were down 13% over the last 5 years in areas impacting people or the environment. In these areas, incidents caused by incorrect operations decreased by 11% while equipment failure decreased 15% from 2015 to 2019, API and AOPL said.
Over the last 5 years, only 7% of crude oil incidents were larger than 500 bbl. Crude oil incidents greater than 50 bbl have decreased 26%, from 42 to 31 incidents, according to the organizations. Over the same timeframe, liquid pipeline mileage has increased nearly 10%, including a 20% increase in crude oil pipelines, while total barrels delivered increased 35% from 2014.
