US: new pipes for old
The US pipeline system is in need of maintenance. But inspecting and repairing pipelines is no easy task
Natural gas flows from the US' producing regions to residential, industrial and commercial customers through a network of 2.3m miles of pipelines. But the system is ageing; according to the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), over two-thirds of these pipes are more than 40 years old – manufactured well before construction materials and technology were introduced to help keep corrosion and cracks from causing them to fail. Distribution mains and service lines, which connect customers to the large-diameter, high-pressure transmission lines that crisscross the country, comprise about 2m miles of the grid. Unlike transmission lines, which generally traverse rural areas, distribution pi
Also in this section
16 April 2026
Demand for oil is falling because supply cannot meet it, not because it is no longer required
16 April 2026
The continent has an immediate opportunity to make the most of its energy resources by capturing gas that is currently slipping away
15 April 2026
The continent is seeing political pushback to climate plans, corporate reassessment of transition goals and rising supply risk in a fractured global order
15 April 2026
The Middle East energy crisis may turn out to be pivotal to the industry’s long-term expansion, but significant challenges still stand in its way
