Petroleum transport

Petroleum transport is the transportation of petroleum and derivatives such as gasoline (petrol). Petroleum is transported via rail cars, trucks, tanker vessels, and through pipelines. Which method is used to move this oil depends on the amount that is being moved and where it is being moved to. The biggest problems with moving this oil are pollution and the chance that the oil can spill. Petroleum oil is very hard to clean up and is very toxic to living animals.

Marine oil tanker and barges can transport this petroleum all around the world. These vessels are used because they can carry a lot of fuel, so the amount it costs per barrel to move this oil is very cheap. These tankers are also really the only way to move crude oil across the oceans. Usually the larger tankers are used to transport this fuel on a global scale, taking fuel from one continent to the other. Barges are a lot like tankers, however barges are a lot smaller and do not have any method of propulsion to move them. Barges are often pushed or towed by tugs. This makes barges very poor for transporting this oil for long distances. Barges are very poor for traveling across rough seas, so they are used in calmer waters. However, these barges are usually used for transporting the fuel shorter distances.

Pipelines are used to transport oil from the wells to refineries and storage facilities. Pipelines are viewed as the most cost efficient way to move oil on land. First the oil is collected at the wellhead, or some area where the oil is stored. From the wellhead it is pumped across the land through a pipe, and is discharged at its destination which typically is a refinery. However, pipelines can be used the same way to deliver already refined fuels such as gasoline, diesel and even jet fuel from the refinery to distribution facilities or a consumer. These pipelines are not just a solid line of straight pipe, but have various components on the pipeline. These pipelines will have booster pumps to keep the fuel moving along a long distance, inspection areas to make sure that the fuel is not getting any contaminants, and even other collection and delivery points along the way. Though it costs a lot of money and time to set up these pipelines, the operation cost is significantly less than using any other type of transportation. Also the amount of manpower needed to move this oil is not that much. Pipelines offer the most efficient mode of transporting this oil across a land mass. Even though these pipes are extremely cost effective there are some circumstances where this is not true and it is more logical to use another method. An example of this is how it is cheaper and more logical to use a ship to move the oil across the Atlantic Ocean than a pipeline.

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