Gulf spill raises pipeline concerns

[highplainsdem]

Source: Omaha World-Herald

Published Sunday June 6, 2010

Gulf spill raises pipeline concerns
By Paul Hammel
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU


LINCOLN — The ever-widening oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has state lawmakers rethinking whether Nebraska is doing enough to protect the fragile Sand Hills and groundwater-rich Ogallala Aquifer from a planned crude-oil pipeline.

-snip-


Duane Hovorka, executive director of the Nebraska Wildlife Federation, said a small pipeline leak in the sparsely populated Sand Hills might go undetected for days and do major damage.

“There's a limit to how closely you can monitor that stuff,” Hovorka said. “You can pump a lot of oil into the aquifer before someone discovers it.”

Of key concern is TransCanada's application for a federal waiver to pump the pipeline oil at a higher pressure, using thinner pipe. The pipe could pump more oil and use less steel.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20100606/NEWS01/706069888

[rzemanfl]

1. There are oil pipelines everywhere. I was shocked to learn

that there is a long port-to-power plant pipeline here. As I recall, it is a 4" pipe.

[4saken]

2. Pipelines are safer, but still bad...

From what I understand there is an expected steady amount of oil spilling from pipeline leaks. Often because they are unable to find leaks until they have been leaking for a long time or grow in size, and even then they only check every few years. They also only have to report leaks above a certain size, and about half of the leaks are small holes that create a constant flow of oil into the soil.

[DallasNE]

3. "Federa; Waiver" Should Raise A Red Flag

As should "higher pressure, using thinner pipe". This looks like just asking for trouble so no thanks.