The transportation of oil

The largest quantities of oil and gas discovered are to be found in developing countries, far from the major consumers. These producer countries easily meet their own needs and export the greater part of their production.

On the other hand, developed countries, major energy consumers, are not self-sufficient in oil and gas, far from it: they are therefore hydrocarbon importers. Even in developed countries that are also major producers, such as the United States, the production zones are often far from the centres where crude and gas is required.

As a result, for several decades now, enormous quantities of oil and gas have been transported all over the world by sea and on land.

Whether oil is transported from production sites to the refineries by maritime or terrestrial routes, the main issues are those of safety, security and respect for the environment. At sea, everything must be done to avoid pollution; not only accidental oil spills but also the deliberate discharging of polluting products such as the residue from tank and bilge cleaning. On land the state of oil pipelines must be continually kept under surveillance and worn equipment replaced. Enormous quantities of oil transported are not used immediately. The same is true for a part of the output from refineries, what are called the finished products.Storage facilities ensuring total safety and security must  therefore be planned for petroleum products

Transportation by maritme means

Annual quantities of oil transported by sea are enormous. Almost 38000 oil tankers navigate the seas and oceans, transporting this fabulous liquid energy source from the points of extraction to the points of consumption. The enormous majority of hydrocarbons transported reach their destination. For example, in the period 2000/2004, according to the accident statistics of ITOPF (International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation) almost 99.99998% of oil transported arrived at its destination without problem.

The organisation of maritime transport of oil is complex and many companies and skills are involved in a voyage (building and maintaining the boat, inspecting it regularly, choosing the crew, deciding the route to be taken …). Countries have responsibility for organising safety and security regulations worldwide and above all for ensuring their respect by all involved. These regulations, which can appear complicated, formalise many decisions taken jointly at an international level for the well-being and safety of everyone

Transportation by land

The petroleum industry has chosen to favour maritime transport for its products, for reasons of greater flexibility. Overland transport by pipelines nevertheless remains important, in particular in vast countries such as Russia. It is also necessary to bring oil, destined for transport by ship, to a port. Finally, in the industrialised countries, there are major pipeline networks transporting crude to refineries situated inland and also handling the finished products coming out of the refineries and destined for major centres of consumption. Oil pipelines are large diameter tubes that can transport enormous quantities of oil, up to several tens of millions of tons per year. The oil circulates by means of pressure maintained by pumping stations located every 60 to 100 km. The oil travels in the pipelines at speeds of around 2m/sec (7km/h).

As for maritime transport, safety and security are important elements for pipelines. But normally there are no serious oil spillages. In fact, as soon as the pipeline is damaged by accident or sabotage, pumping is stopped and pollution remains limited. But things become more serious if the state of the pipelines is not kept constantly under surveillance. Oil is always corrosive to a greater or lesser extent, because it contains acidic gases (CO₂, H₂S). The pipes deteriorate from the inside and if they are not changed in time, they finish by leaking. This problem exists for example in certain areas in Siberia.

The construction of major pipelines crossing several countries requires intense negotiation. Behind these negotiations are questions of the geopolitics of energy requirements … and geopolitical questions in general. For example, what will happen with the new oil reserves in Central Asia, around the Caspian Sea? Will the new oeloducts take oil to the East, to China, ensuring a reliable supply to that country which is an ever-increasing user of energy; or to the southeast, across Afghanistan and Pakistan; towards the southwest, across Iran, the most economic route; or to the northwest, to Russia which would therefore be able to retain control over the final destinations?