Economic and environmental benefits of gas pipelines

See Pipelines essential to state’s recovery. By David Holt. He is a founder and president of the Consumer Energy Alliance.

"Nationwide, pipeline construction projects provide almost 349,000 jobs for Americans, with skilled trade unions training and hiring Texans for jobs with a median wage of $68,836.

On the environmental and safety front, pipelines are the most energy-efficient and cost-effective method to transport large volumes of oil and gas compared with truck, rail or ocean vessel. Just one 20-inch pipeline operating for 50 miles can displace 1,650 tanker trucks and help relieve pressure on roads and infrastructure.

Texas’ air quality has improved dramatically even as the state’s demand for energy has surged and pipelines have expanded. And natural gas contributed to a decline in emissions of as much as 78 percent since 2000, Texas regulators estimate. Sulfur dioxide declined 78 percent; carbon monoxide, 75 percent; nitrogen oxide, 50 percent; and ozone concentrations, 30 percent.

At the same time, pipelines delivered more than $60 billion in savings between 2006 and 2016 — an estimated $7.2 billion for residential users and $52.4 billion for commercial and industrial users, a Consumer Energy Alliance study found.

Texas maintains a pipeline integrity program that exceeds federal safety and inspection requirements. The Texas Railroad Commission’s Pipeline Safety Division conducts roughly 2,850 pipeline inspections annually. It must be underscored that pipelines are buried underground to reduce any impacts to the surface, and Texas law requires that pipeline easements be restored to their former condition so landowners can resume prior use. Biologists and remediation experts aid in the restoration of ecosystems."