Energy products are part of our daily lives. They allow us to drive our cars, cool our homes and manufacture products like medicines, plastics and electronics. Pipelines safely transport energy products from one part of the country to another, bringing products to our homes and businesses.
There are three types of pipelines—gathering lines, transmission lines and distribution lines.
Gathering pipelines transport energy products from production areas, like drilling sites, to processing facilities and eventually into larger transmission lines.
Transmission lines are like the highways of our national pipeline system – they transport energy from one part of the country to another. Compressor stations and pumping stations are located aboveground at regular intervals. They keep systems running by pushing products through the pipeline.
Finally, distribution lines are the pipelines that ultimately connect to your home or business. These are the lines that deliver energy used to cook, heat and manufacture products.
Read more about how gas pipeline systems and petroleum pipeline systems work and how they are constructed by visiting the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration web site.