Key crude oil and products pipelines are vulnerable to disruptions

Technical Report · Mon Aug 27 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5863487· OSTI ID:5863487

Pipelines-transporting about three-fourths of the crude oil delivered to refineries and one-third of the refined products moved from refineries to consumers - are highly vulnerable to disruptions caused by human error, sabotage, or nature. Damage to key facilities on just a few pipeline systems could greatly reduce domestic shipments, causing an energy shortage exceeding that of the 1973 Arab oil embargo. The petroleum industry is not emphasizing physical security and neither industry nor Government has developed contingency plans for reducing adverse effects of petroleum shortages should key pipeline facilities be damaged, causing serious disruptions. The Department of Energy should, among other things, develop contingency plans to mitigate effects of petroleum shortages caused by prolonged pipeline disruptions and improve physical security, where needed, at critical pipeline facilities.

• Research Organization: General Accounting Office, Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5863487
• Report Number(s): EMD-79-63
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
021000* -- Petroleum-- Legislation & Regulations
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294002 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Petroleum
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDRAULIC TRANSPORT
INDUSTRY
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PIPELINES
RECOMMENDATIONS
SABOTAGE
SECURITY
SUPPLY DISRUPTION
TRANSPORT
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
VULNERABILITY