How Safe Are Oil and Gas PipelinesNewsletter

Pipelines provide a transportation conduit, above or below ground, for hazardous products at considerably lower cost than alternative means by road or rail. However, can pipelines be considered a safe way to transport these products, including oil and natural gas? Given the current attention on high profile pipeline projects like Keystone XL or Northern Gateway, an overview of oil and gas pipeline safety is timely. There are 2.5 million miles of pipeline crisscrossing the United States, managed by hundreds of separate operators. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is the federal agency responsible for enforcing regulations related to transportation of hazardous materials by pipeline. Based on publicly available data gathered by the PHMSA, between 1986 and 2013 there were almost 8,000 pipeline incidents (for a mean close to 300 a year), resulting in hundreds of deaths, 2,300 injuries, and $7 billion in damages. These incidents add up to an average of 76,000 barrels of hazardous products a year. The majority of the spilled materials consisted in oil, natural gas liquids (for example propane and butane), and gasoline. Spills can  create significant environmental damage and pose health risks. What Causes Pipeline Incidents? The most common causes of pipeline incidents (35%) involve equipment failure. For example, pipelines are subject to external and internal corrosion, broken valves, failed gaskets, or a poor weld. Another 24% of pipeline incidents are due to rupture caused by excavation activities, when heavy equipment accidentally strikes a pipeline. Overall, pipeline incidents are most common in Texas, California, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, all states with considerable oil and gas industry.   Are Inspection and Fines Effective? A recent study examined pipeline operators who were subject to state and federal inspections, and tried to determine whether these inspections or subsequent fines had an effect on future pipeline safety. The performance of 344 operators was examined for the year 2010. Seventeen percent of the pipeline operators reported a spill, with an average of 2,910 barrels (122,220 gallons) spilled. It turns out that federal inspections or fines do not appear to increase environmental performance, violations and spills are just as likely afterwards. Some Notable Pipeline Incidents February 5, 2000. An aging pipeline failure was the cause of a 192,000-gallon crude oil spill in the  John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge  (Pennsylvania).August 19, 2000. A natural gas pipeline owned by El Paso Natural Gas exploded near  Carlsbad, New Mexico, due to corrosion. Twelve people were killed while camping 600 feet from the blast.October 4, 2001. The iconic Alaskan Pipeline, which is built above ground, was shot by an intoxicated man leading to a 285,000-gallon crude oil spill.November 9, 2004. Due to a faulty pre-construction survey, heavy equipment operators were misinformed about the location of a gasoline pipeline in  Walnut Creek, California. Five workers were killed after a backhoe struck the pipeline.July 26, 2010. Over a period of 17 hours, a 30-inch crude oil pipeline owned by Enbridge Energy leaked well over a million gallons of crude oil into a tributary of the  Kalamazoo River in Michigan. The causes cited include cracks and corrosion. The crude oil or iginated from Alberta’s tar sands. The cleanup costs have surpassed $1 billion.September 9, 2010.  In  San Bruno, California, a PGE natural gas pipeline exploded and leveled 38 homes. There were 8 fatalities and many were injured.February 9, 2011. For decades a history of corrosion problems and design issues plagued the natural gas pipe network in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Several explosions have occurred since 1976, culminating in a 2011 blast that killed 5 people and destroyed 8 homes.March 29, 2013. A pipeline rupture led to a spectacular crude oil spill in a suburban neighborhood in Mayflower, Arkansas. Over 5000 barrels of tar sands bitumen leaked. Sources Stafford, S. 2013. Will Additional Federal Enforcement Improve the Performance of Pipelines in the United States? The College of William and Mary, Department of Economics, Working Paper No. 144. Stover, R. 2014. America’s Dangerous Pipelines. Center for Biological Diversity. Follow Dr. Beaudry: Pinterest | Facebook  | Twitter

Education Is Not Preparation For Life - 1354 Words

Education: The Key to Success â€Å"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.† If one accepts the quote by John Dewey to be true, then depriving someone of their education is depriving them of their life. Throughout the centuries, human beings have sought educational freedom. The United States of America has become a symbol for all who seek life, or education rather. Millions of people come to the United States, from less privileged countries, each year in hopes for a better education that is coupled with a better life. Today, unfortunately, the U.S has lost its edge in the educational department. Many studies today show this failure, â€Å"the U.S. is the clear leader in total annual spending, but ranks 9th in Science performance and 10th in Math† (Staff). Furthermore, it seems that the U.S can’t even educate its own minority groups, which mainly includes African Americans. The educational gap in the U.S is of great concern, â€Å"the percentage of Blacks age 25 and o lder with a high school diploma or more was 72 percent in the 2000 census, compared to 85.5 percent for Whites† (â€Å"Blacks: Education Issues). Two major issues that are keeping African Americans from success are Special Education Programs and teacher tenures, these systems need to be replaced for African Americans to get a better education. Almost every elementary, middle and high school in the U.S has a program known as the Special Education Program. The aim of this program is to help students withShow MoreRelatedEducation Is Not Preparation For Life998 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Dewey once said, â€Å"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. He is conveying the idea that learning is an active process, that should occur to enhance one s living and understanding thereof. When one only views education as a temporary matter, that person misses the big picture and fails to grasp what life genuinely is. Paulo Freire believes in having the opportunity to discover for oneself all that the world has to offer, with the slight guidance from a teacher. HeRead MoreEducation Is Not Preparation For Life1350 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.† If one accepts the quote by John Dewey to be true, then depriving someone of their education is depriv ing them of their life. Throughout the centuries, human beings have sought educational freedom. The United States of America has become a symbol for all who seek life, or education rather. Millions of people come to the United States, from less privileged countries, each year in hopes for a better education that is coupled with aRead MoreEducation Is Not Preparation For Life1155 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Education is not preparation for life; Education is life for itself.† These are the words of John Dewey, which have led an everlasting impression on my mind. It relates to the idea of lifelong learning, and the knowledge that education is much more than what lies within the curriculum. Whenever I pause by to reflect on my ken of knowledge, I feel that how little I have learnt and that an enormous, unknown and fascinating wealth of knowledge lies before me, yet to be explored. Education is like anRead MoreEducation Is Not Preparation For Life980 Words   |  4 PagesDewey once said â€Å"Education is not preparation for life; Education is life itself. Meaning that learning is an active process that should occur to enhance one s living and understanding thereof. 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But if you can master the profession for several years, preparing for the role of husband and wife over a short time is impossible. Preparation for marriageRead MoreAn Early Childhood Educator Can Reconstruct The Life Of A Child1708 Words   |  7 PagesThis can be true for those who desire and want to improve lives, but how does one transform the life of another individual? Does it begin by becoming a firefighter, a police officer, or a doctor? These are all excellent advances in improving lives, but this writer will discuss about how becoming an Early Childhood Educator can reconstruct the life of a child (Rawlings 127). 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Medea By Euripides Essay Example For Students

Medea By Euripides Essay Through the play Medea, Euripides shows us the importance of keeping a promisegiven. At the beginning of the story, we see the plays two opposing views ofpromise keeping represented by the Nurse and the Tutor. As she stands outside ofMedeas house and laments the way Jason has slighted Medea by taking anotherwife, the Nurse speaks of the eternal promise Jason and Medea made to eachother on their wedding day (17-21). The Nurse wishes Jason were dead for the wayhe has abandoned his wife and children, so strongly does she feel vows shouldnot be broken (83). When the Tutor enters the scene, he expresses a much morecynical view regarding Jasons decision to leave his wife. He asks the nurse,Have you only just discovered / That everyone loves himself more than hisneighbor? / Some have good reason, others get something out of it. / So Jasonneglects his children for the new bride (85-88). The Tutor feels thatJasons leaving Medea is only a part of life, as Old ties give place to newones. Jason No longer has a feeling for his family with Medea, so heleaves her to marry the princess who will bring him greater power (76-77). Medeais outraged that she sacrificed so much to help Jason, only to have him revokehis pledge to her for his own selfish gain. She asks him whether he thinks thegods whose names he swore by have ceased to rule, thereby allowing him to breakhis promise to her. Medea vows to avenge her suffering by destroying Jasonsnew family and his children. When Jason curses his wife for her murdering at theend of the play, she says to him, What heavenly power lends an ear / To abreaker of oaths, a deceiver? (1366-1367) In this way, Medea lays the blamefor all the evil she has done at the feet of Jason, for she never would havedone these things if he had not betrayed his promise to her. Euripidesportrayal of Jasons destruction as a direct result of the vow he broke is aclear warning against breaking the sanctity of a promise given.