And because methane is considered a greenhouse gas, exploding methane gas pipelines can cause just as much physical damage and added environmental damage, as methane is yet another greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Any little thing can damage a pipeline — natural causes include age, corrosion, or natural force damage, which is generally caused by natural happenings such as hurricanes and earthquakes , according to Watershed Council.
However, shoddy workmanship, mismanagement, improper materials, equipment failure, excavation damage, and lax care can cause pipelines to leak or rupture in equal measure. The Watershed Council also specifies that there are two serious types of pipeline incidents: leaks and ruptures. Leaks are more common and can sometimes be repaired before too much damage is done.
Ruptures are another story — if a sudden rupture occurs, the effects can be catastrophic. Many are even older than that. This means that the majority of hazardous materials beneath our feet are being propelled through antique equipment. While the tar sands industry was once seen as an unbeatable opponent in a David-and-Goliath fight, the victory against Keystone XL shows that the tables have begun to turn—and that more power now lies with the advocates for climate justice than ever before.
This story was originally published on April 7, and has been updated with new information and links. The notorious tar sands pipeline was a lightning rod in the fight against climate change and the seemingly unstoppable oil industry. Frontline Indigenous youth, who have been standing up against destructive oil pipelines for years, are imploring President Biden to join them in protecting their water, lands, and cultures.
Historic flooding recently inundated parts of the Cornhusker State where the proposed Keystone XL pipeline would pass through. The people and the planet can claim more than a few victories—and is looking better already.
How an unlikely coalition of environmental activists stopped the destructive tar sands oil pipeline. For more than a decade, we've fought to keep this filthy fossil fuel from being dredged up and piped through the United States. DAPL may be underway, but the water protectors at Standing Rock taught us a lot about going up against the fossil fuel industry.
Yes, Trump has green-lighted the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. This dirty, dangerous oil, which is almost impossible to clean and affects the health of people, is bad news for our country—and the planet. We will keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. The boreal forest. Source: keystonexl. Killing KXL. Good Luck Persuading These Nebraskans.
Remember the Kalamazoo. Thanks for signing up. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and update email soon. Material, welding, and equipment failure is the number one cause of pipeline incidents, with excavation damage the second cause. Two examples of how devastating pipeline incidents can be include the gas pipeline rupture and ignition in San Bruno, California that resulted in 8 fatalities, injuries to more than 60 people, 38 homes destroyed, and another 70 homes damaged and the oil pipeline rupture that spilled approximately , gallons of crude oil contaminating over 35 miles of the Kalamazoo River in Michigan.
In the last two decades, pipeline safety has generally improved as there has been a downward trend in serious accidents. A serious accident is defined as an accident where there was a fatality or a number of injuries. While there has been an overall downward trend in the last 20 years, there has actually been a slight increase in significant accidents for hazardous liquid pipelines in the last few years. In Michigan, between and , there were 37 significant incidents on hazardous liquids pipelines.
Fifteen of those were crude oil spills. In , there was only one spill in Michigan. Can't find what you're looking for? Call Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council is a c 3 nonprofit organization. The alternative to a pipeline also presents concern s. The State Department estimated that as of January , , barrels of Canadian crude oil per day is being transported by freight trains.
If no pipeline is built, that number will rise. Using trains to transport oil to refineries in the U. The Dakota Access pipeline project was meant to address the growing amount of oil being shipped out of North Dakota by freight trains. Many climate activists have opposed the pipelines on the suspicion that they may increase our reliance on, and use, of fossil fuels, and further delay investment in more renewable technologies.
But the State Department said in a assessment that the Keystone XL pipeline would have no additional impact on greenhouse gas emissions because the oil would be extracted from tar sands in Canada at the same rate anyways, regardless of whether or not the pipeline was built. The EPA contested that finding , saying that extracting oil from the tar sands generates more greenhouse gases than extracting oil through more conventional methods and therefore contributes to a greater amount of greenhouse gas emissions over time.
If more pipelines are built, more oil could theoretically be extracted at a faster rate, meaning greenhouse gases would actually be released more quickly. The volatile market also does not guarantee that demand will make the high cost of extracting oil from the tar sands worthwhile. The Natural Resources Defense Council and other major environmental groups say that, most likely, Keystone XL pipeline would accelerate the pace and expand the scale of tar sands development.
Using trains slows down the process of getting the oil to refineries and ultimately to market, so it is better long-term for the environment , the groups said. No environmental impact report has been created for the Dakota Access pipeline, though the U. S Army Corps of Engineers said they would conduct an environmental impact survey when they halted the project in December Aside from the long-term impact that a warming climate could have on human life as a result of reliance on oil, the pipelines could pose an immediate threat to the drinking water of nearby communities and may damage areas considered sacred by Native American tribes, according to opponents.
The Dakota Access pipeline project has encountered fierce opposition in part because the threat of an oil spill and poisoned water sources could impact the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, whose reservation is immediately downstream of the point where the pipeline will cross the Missouri River. Many tribe members are also concerned about burial grounds being disturbed during construction of the pipeline.
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