North America to dominate global transmission pipeline length by 2025

The North American natural gas transmission pipeline network is expected to reach 967,623 kilometers by 2025 and will hold a share of about 44% of the world’s trunk pipeline network, a recent survey has shown.

The study, conducted by GlobalData, shows that there were 4,785 active and suspended pipelines globally with a total length of more than 2,069,000 km, by the end of 2021. The US-led the oil and gas pipelines industry with the longest crude oil, petroleum product, natural gas, and NGL pipelines network.

The global oil and gas pipelines industry outlook report offers information on the capacity and capital expenditure outlook with details of all operating and planned pipelines till 2025, according to the study. “North America is expected to witness the start of operations of 105 planned and announced pipelines by 2025, adding an approximate total length of 18,879 km,” said Teja Pappoppula, oil and gas analyst at GlobalData.

In December 2021, natural gas had the longest transmission pipeline length followed by crude oil, petroleum products, and NGL. All active, suspended, planned, and announced pipelines length with start years up to 2025 were considered for the study. North America would have the most pipeline length with 967,623 km, followed by the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and Asia with 418,824 km, and 243,772 km, respectively, the study showed.

Among upcoming pipelines, San Fernando–Cactus is the longest upcoming pipeline with a length of 1,609 km. The natural gas pipeline is expected to start operations in Mexico by 2023. The pipeline would bring much needed gas to energy-deficient states of Chiapas and Oaxaca in Mexico. The total length of the top 10 planned and announced trunk/transmission pipelines in the world is over 20,000 km, the study noted.

Kandla-Gorakhpur is the longest upcoming product pipeline in the world. In 2021, China had the highest planned new-build capital expenditure, while the US had the highest announced new-build capital expenditure, GlobalData reported.

“The former Soviet Union occupies second place with a share of 19.1% in the global transmission pipeline length by 2025. The total length of the transmission pipeline network in the FSU is 418,824 km and is also expected to witness planned and announced pipeline length additions of 13,807 km by 2025. This region’s pipeline combined with the world’s largest active pipeline the Russian Gas System, runs for a length of 175,200 km,” he said.

In Europe, there were over 700 active pipelines. Romania, France, Germany, and the UK had the longest crude oil, petroleum product, natural gas, and NGL pipelines network, respectively in Europe. The longest crude oil pipeline in the region is Conpet S.A. Crude Oil “Romania”. The longest petroleum products pipeline in the region is Trapil ODC. The longest natural gas pipeline in the region is Romanian Gas Transmission. The longest NGL pipeline in the region is Romania NGL (Conpet SA).

There were over 200 active pipelines in the Former Soviet Union in 2020. Russia had the longest crude oil, petroleum product, natural gas, and NGL pipelines network in Former Soviet Union. The longest crude oil pipeline in the region is Transneft Oil System. The longest petroleum products pipeline in the region is Transneft Product System. The longest natural gas pipeline in the region is the Russian Gas System.

The longest NGL pipeline in the region is Yuzhno-Balyksky–Tobolsk-Neftekhim. There were over 400 active pipelines in the Middle East in 2020. Saudi Arabia had the longest crude oil and NGL pipelines network, while Iran had the longest petroleum product and natural gas pipelines network in the Middle East. The longest active crude oil pipeline in the region is Ahwaz–Rey. The longest active petroleum products pipeline in the region is Kermanshah–Tabriz.

The longest active natural gas pipeline in the region is Oman Gas System. The longest active NGL pipeline in the region is Abqaiq–Yanbu NGL.North America: There were over 1,600 active pipelines in North America in 2020. The US had the longest crude oil, petroleum product, natural gas, and NGL pipelines network in North America.

The longest crude oil pipeline in the region is Lakehead System. The longest petroleum products pipeline in the region is Magellan System. The longest natural gas pipeline in the region is NGTL System. The longest NGL pipeline in the region is Mid America System.