Pipelines rarely make headlines when they’re doing what they do best: quietly and safely delivering the energy that powers homes, businesses, and industries. But when a new project is proposed, that’s when the debate begins, with opponents warning of risks while overlooking the reality that pipelines are among the safest, most efficient, and most essential components of our nation’s energy infrastructure. Too often, talking points from anti-oil and gas advocacy groups and neighborhood not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) campaigns disregard the facts and instead amplify worst-case hypotheticals. This highlights the hypocritical nature of those who claim to support industry, given how NIMBY campaigns often end up echoing the same opposition lines used by anti-oil and gas groups. Two sides that rarely agree on anything suddenly align to attempt to stall the very infrastructure that strengthens America’s energy security and lowers costs for the communities they claim to defend.

Powering America and the World

From the Permian Basin or the Marcellus Shale, to ports along every American coast, U.S. pipelines move the resources that fuel our economy and strengthen our energy security. Texas alone plays an outsized role: the Lone Star State transports roughly 1.1 billion tons of product each year, holds one-fourth of proven U.S. reserves, and supports 31 percent of the nation’s refining capacity, all while moving oil and natural gas not just across the state, but throughout the country and overseas.

Regional projects across Texas all demonstrate how well-planned infrastructure can connect supply to demand, reduce carbon intensity, and advance U.S. trade interests. For example:

• Kinder Morgan’s Permian Highway Pipeline, which helps move natural gas from the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast to meet domestic and export demand.
• Energy Transfer’s extensive network of intrastate pipelines, including the Lone Star Express, which connects key producing regions to markets across Texas.
• The proposed Blackfin Pipeline, which is designed specifically to ease supply distribution constraints from the Permian Basin.

On the national front, major oil companies like ExxonMobil operate more than 16,000 miles of pipelines, delivering everything from CO₂ captured through carbon capture processes to over 3.5 million barrels of oil-derived products to recipients across the country. Likewise, the Colonial Pipeline system, which spans more than 5,500 miles from Texas to New Jersey, moves gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from the Gulf Coast to communities up and down the East Coast. As reliable energy is essential to a functioning modern society, without these pipelines, we risk disrupting the flow of a vital and much-needed resource.

Safety is Built In, Not an Afterthought

Anti-industry groups such as the Sierra Club or Earthjustice often claim that pipelines are sited with little thought to public safety or environmental impact, but that’s far from reality. In fact, pipelines have a 99.99 percent rate of delivering product without incident. Yet, it’s not only traditional opponents making these claims: some who support the industry still lead local NIMBY campaigns that mirror, almost word-for-word, the same exaggerated safety fears pushed by anti-oil and gas groups. Take for example the proposed Blackfin Pipeline that will carry 3.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, which is equivalent to roughly 42.9 million gallons of liquid natural gas (LNG) per day. It would require 4,612 tanker trucks per day carrying 9,300 gallons each to replace Blackfin’s capacity. Imagine what an extra 4,612 trucks each day would do to traffic. Not to mention, transporting natural gas by pipeline is safer than transporting it by truck.

The truth is that routing a pipeline is an extensive process involving environmental studies, engineering analyses, and community input. Companies work with landowners to fairly compensate them for the use of their property and to design routes that minimize impact. That includes facilities like compressor stations, which are extremely necessary components of any pipeline project and are strategically placed with safety buffers, built to meet or exceed rigorous state and federal standards. Compressor stations are not new to the oil and gas industry and its operations. They are an established and trusted part of the natural-gas delivery system, with roughly 1,200-1,400 stations operating nationwide and about 93 in Texas alone, reflecting decades of reliable service.

Claims of the “catastrophic danger” of pipelines and their associated facilities misrepresent both the technology and the safety measures in place. Equipment is designed with multiple layers of protection, including pressure monitoring, automated shutdown systems, and scheduled maintenance to prevent incidents. Additionally, frequent criticism of vital operations such as  “blowdowns” – controlled releases of gas for maintenance – is often taken out of context. These are standard, regulated safety practices that protect both the public and the environment by ensuring pipelines operate within safe limits, reducing the risk of accidents, and allowing gas to be safely released in a controlled manner to prevent uncontrolled leaks.

Beyond Transport: Pipelines Fuel Jobs, the Economy, and Emissions Reductions

Pipelines don’t just move energy; they move the economy. Construction and operation create thousands of jobs, from skilled trades to engineering and environmental compliance. The tax revenue they generate supports schools, roads, and public services in communities along their routes. In Texas, pipelines contributed approximately $3.6 billion in state and local revenue in 2022. In Pennsylvania, another key industry player, local pipeline operators, including those in the overall natural gas industry, have paid $2.88 billion since 2012 to the state’s Impact Fees fund, which directly benefits the community.

Nationally, pipelines keep energy costs more stable by ensuring supply can move where it’s needed most, reducing dependence on foreign sources.

They are also one of the most emissions-efficient ways to transport oil and natural gas. Moving the same volume by truck or rail would not only be more expensive but also result in higher emissions and greater safety risks. By enabling projects like LNG export terminals, pipelines help replace coal-fired generation overseas, ultimately resulting in a net reduction in global emissions.

Bottom Line

Pipelines are not an optional extra in America’s energy mix; they are ubiquitous and serve as the backbone of energy security, dominance and economic strength. These critical pieces of infrastructure are vital links in a larger chain that keeps the lights on, the economy moving, and our allies supplied. The conversation about pipelines should start, and end, with the facts: they are safe, efficient, and indispensable.