More than 200,000 miles of liquids pipelines safely transport propane, crude oil, gasoline, jet fuel, ethanol and other energy products across the United States every day.  The products flowing through liquids pipelines are used to manufacture medicines, plastics and foods and to fuel cars, trucks and airplanes.

Crude oil products originate in the United States from one of three places: wells on land, offshore wells and foreign wells.  Pipelines transport crude products from the origination source to storage tanks or to refineries and chemical plants that process them to create refined liquids products including gasoline, heating fuel, diesel fuel, jet fuel and oil feed stocks.

Depending upon the product and its final use, it is transported by pipeline from the refinery or chemical plant to manufacturing facilities, storage facilities or distribution terminals. Some products, such as heating oil and gasoline, are then transported from a distribution terminal to homes and gas stations in tanker trucks.

In the United States, Kinder Morgan operates more than 10,500 miles of pipeline carrying crude oil, carbon dioxide, highly volatile liquids and refined liquids products. Kinder Morgan’s crude and products lines include: CalNev (Calif., Nev.), Central Florida (Fla.), Kinder Morgan Cochin (Ill., Ind., Iowa, Mich., Minn., N.D., Ohio), Cortez (Texas, N.M., Colo.), Cypress (La., Texas), Plantation (La., Ms., Ala., Ga., Tn., S.C., N.C., Va., Washington D.C.), Platte (Wyo., Neb., Kan., Miss., Ill.), Trans Mountain (Wash.), Wink (Texas).

Because pipelines run horizontally, they need an occasional boost to keep the product moving. This job is done by a series of aboveground facilities called pumping, or booster, stations that push products through the line.  Pumping stations are typically located at regular intervals every 20 to 100 miles along the pipeline depending on the size and pressure of the line.

In addition to pumping stations, valves are located at intervals along the pipeline system.  Valves are used to restrict the flow of the product or to provide access to a section of the line for cleaning or maintenance.  If a pipeline emergency occurs, a local pipeline representative will be responsible for operating valves as needed.  Emergency responders should not try to operate a valve.

Liquids lines, like other pipelines, are monitored around-the-clock using sensors that transmit data to the control center. Data is monitored continuously to ensure safe operations.

Multiple products can flow through a common liquids transmission pipeline. Therefore, it is important that emergency responders understand the hazards associated with products flowing through lines in their jurisdiction.   To learn more about the products Kinder Morgan transports and product-specific hazards, download Kinder Morgan’s Hazard Chart at www.kindermorgan.com/
public_awareness/common_files/KM_HAZARDS_CHART.pdf and product-specific Material Safety Data Sheets at www.kindermorgan.com/public_awareness/
AdditionalInformation/msds/default.cfm.

For more information about Kinder Morgan’s liquid pipelines in your jurisdiction, contact your local Kinder Morgan representative or visit http://PA-InfoRequest.kindermorgan.com.   You can also download a copy of Kinder Morgan’s brochure for emergency responders in communities with crude oil and refined products pipelines at www.kindermorgan.com/public_awareness/
AdditionalInformation/KMSafetyBrochures.cfm.

Pipelines 101: An Overview of the Energy Delivery System (The Responder, 2009 Issue 1)

Pipelines 101: Control Centers (The Responder, 2008 Issue 1)

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