Safe Pipelines that Create Clean Energy Jobs

See the safety track record of CO2 pipelines and what is being done to keep them safe

Safe Pipelines that Create Clean Energy Jobs

See the safety track record of CO2 pipelines and what is being done to keep them safe

Safe Pipelines that Create Clean Energy Jobs

See the safety track record of CO2 pipelines and what is being done to keep them safe

Pipelines are part of the clean energy solution

  • Carbon dioxide can now be captured and stored permanently, preventing it from entering the atmosphere.

  • But here’s the challenge. The places where CO2 emissions are produced and captured are far away from locations where we can store them.

  • That challenge becomes an opportunity when we transport carbon emissions safely by pipeline and create new jobs at the same time.

Today in America, there are already 5,000 miles of CO2 pipelines

CO2 pipelines are safely moving carbon dioxide for use in energy, food production and medical applications, as well as the manufacture of products like refrigerants, foam rubber, fire extinguishers and carbonated beverages.

Now, it’s an easy step to move CO2 emissions to permanent storage.

What do you think?

Should the U.S. increase its CO2 pipeline network to empower more carbon capture and storage?

CO2 Pipeline Safety in Action

Current federal law and government pipeline safety regulation requires CO2 pipeline operators to proactively inspect their pipelines and conduct preventive maintenance. Pipeline personnel monitor operations 24/7 and can shut down a CO2 pipeline if there is a problem. CO2 pipelines are constructed with high-grade steel and a protective coating to prevent corrosion.

Hi-Tech Inspection Tools

Preventive Maintenance

24/7 Monitoring

Hi-Grade Steel & Protective Coatings

Federal Government Pipeline Safety Requirements

  • Congress in the Pipeline Safety Reauthorization Act of 1988 required the U.S. Department of Transportation to regulate CO2 pipelines.

  • The U.S. Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in 1989 expanded its federal regulations for similar systems like crude oil and refined products to also cover CO2 pipelines.

  • Current PHMSA regulations at 49 CFR Part 195 prescribe hundreds of requirements on the construction, inspection, maintenance, monitoring and incident response for CO2 pipelines.
  • PHMSA inspects and enforces compliance with potential fines on pipeline operators violating federal CO2 pipeline safety requirements.

CO2 Pipeline Safety Record

  • Government pipeline safety data collected by PHMSA and publicly available shows CO2 pipeline incidents are rare and declining.
  • CO2 pipelines have a lower incident rate than both crude oil and refined products pipelines.

Past Experience

CO2 pipelines are not new. They’ve operated in the U.S. for over 50 years. They now span over 5,000 miles across several states.

Present Performance

CO2 pipelines have a safety track record as some of the safest pipelines we have. According to publicly available government data, over the last 5 years, CO2 pipelines have a lower incident rate than both crude oil and refined products pipelines.

Future Performance

The pipeline industry is currently developing new best practices for operators to prepare for and respond in the unlikely event of a CO2 pipeline incident.

CO2 Pipelines Are Needed for Carbon Capture

We can now capture carbon emissions instead of releasing them into the atmosphere. Pipelines are needed to deliver those emissions from where they’re captured to their permanent underground storage area hundreds or potentially thousands of miles away.

CO2 pipelines create clean energy jobs.

CO2 pipelines offer a great opportunity for creating new clean energy jobs.

Building pipelines provides jobs for thousands of welders, equipment operators, engineers and more

Pipeline construction jobs can support a family with wages topping $30 an hour

CO2 pipelines create clean energy jobs.

We can now capture carbon emissions instead of releasing them into the atmosphere. Pipelines are needed to deliver those emissions from where they’re captured to their permanent underground storage area hundreds or potentially thousands of miles away.

CO2 pipelines offer a great opportunity for creating new clean energy jobs.
Building pipelines provides jobs for thousands of welders, equipment operators, engineers and more
Pipeline construction jobs can support a family with wages topping $30 an hour

CO2 pipelines create clean energy jobs.

CO2 pipelines offer a great opportunity for creating new clean energy jobs.

Building pipelines provides jobs for thousands of welders, equipment operators, engineers and more

Pipeline construction jobs can support a family with wages topping $30 an hour

CO2 pipelines are essential for a future, clean-energy economy.

  • Many things we need produce carbon dioxide, including cars, planes, agriculture, the manufacture of materials we use for roads, concrete, and countless other daily essentials.

  • Carbon capture and storage (CCS) will help us achieve our climate goals. Imagine capturing most of the CO2 produced by a city, a powerplant or a factory, and safely storing it underground forever.

  • CO2 pipelines will help us enjoy a modern economy while protecting the environment and creating new clean energy jobs.

Pipeline Basics

Information on how pipelines work, how they are constructed and what pipeline operators do to keep them safe.

Benefits

Pipelines deliver the benefits of affordable energy, helping us get where we need to go and making life more convenient.

Safety & Environment

Proactive inspections, preventive maintenance, and 24/7 monitoring all keep pipelines and surrounding areas safe.