Pipeline transportation is critical to the U.S. economy because energy derived from piped crude and petroleum products is consumed at nearly every stage of goods and services production.
Pipeline's share of all commercial freight activity in the United States for 2002:
U.S. pipelines moved crude oil and petroleum products 750 billion ton-miles in 2002—a sizeable increase over 1993's 600 billion. Pipelines move large volumes of freight that allow other freight modes access to both domestic and imported oil. The role of pipelines is likely to remain critical as freight transportation demand increases.
