Tired Circuits :: Crude

Crude is a research and music project by Tired Circuits.

The project compiles Hazardous Liquid Accident data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). This work specifically focuses on onshore crude oil pipeline spills, referred to as “involuntary releases,” that affect rivers and lakes, drinking water, groundwater, and wildlife.

The PHMSA’s data is presented alongside information about the political spending, regulatory fines, and government contracts of the pipelines’ parent companies to explore the impact and context of these pipeline failures.

Crude looks at eight of the most devastating onshore crude oil releases from 2021-2022, but a key discovery of this research project was grasping the startling frequency and ubiquity of these spills.

In our two year period, the PHMSA records 344 crude oil releases. That is roughly 15 hazardous pipeline releases per month, one every other day. Approximate total crude oil spills across all incidents in 2021-2022 is 2,225,790 gallons. These incidents span the country, occurring in 45 of the 50 states (only Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Utah are spared). Unsurprisingly, high oil-producing Texas accounts for nearly half (49%) of the reported incidents.

All incident data is drawn from: Hazardous Liquid Accident Data - January 2010 to present (link is to a zip file of csv data) from the DoT’s PHMSA site. Other data sources are cited as links throughout.

These incidents are self-reported by the companies that own and oversee these pipelines.

In August 2021, a leak in a pipeline owned by Noble Midstream Services released 14,280 gallons of crude oil near Gill CO, contaminating local groundwater. The estimated cost of emergency response, and property and environmental damage was $1,135,000.

Noble Midstream is owned by Chevron (ticker symbol CVX). Chevron annual revenue for 2022 was $246.25B.

Chevron’s penalties for environmental violations in 2021-2022 totaled $4,309,075.

Chevron spent $13,853,500 on lobbyists from 2021-2022.

Chevron contributed $7,807,086 to political campaigns and PACs in 2021-2022.

From 2021-2022 Chevron received $224,263,529 in government contracts and grants.

In August 2021, a leak in a pipeline owned by Cox Operating released 11,919 gallons of crude oil near Cameron LA, contaminating the Cameron Parish Marsh. The estimated cost of emergency response, and property and environmental damage was $1,266,605.

Cox is a privately held company which filed for bankruptcy in Spring 2023 following the acquisition of multiple aging wells in the Gulf of Mexico. There is concern that Cox’s involuntary bankruptcy will leave these wells unplugged, which, according to the New York Times “raises risks that oil and other pollutants will leak into the ocean and travel to shore and smother wetlands, particularly sensitive salt marshes along the northern Gulf Coast.”

Cox’s estimated annual revenue is $254.9M.

Cox contributed $323,177 to political campaigns and PACs in 2021-2022.

In June 2022, a puncture in a pipeline owned by Mid-Valley Pipeline released 182,490 gallons of crude oil near Henderson TN, contaminating local groundwater, Horse Creek, and impacting local wildlife. The estimated cost of emergency response, and property and environmental damage was $4,386,713.

Mid-Valley Pipeline is owned by Energy Transfer (ticker symbol ET). Energy Transfer’s annual revenue for 2022 was $89.87B.

Energy Transfer’s penalties for safety and environmental violations in 2021-2022 totaled $21,896,825.

Energy Transfer spent $1,670,000 on lobbyists from 2021-2022.

Energy Transfer contributed $5,331,007 to political campaigns and PACs in 2021-2022.

From 2021-2022 Energy Transfer received $6,878,362 in government contracts and grants.

In December 2022, a rupture in a pipeline owned by TC Oil Pipeline Operations released 543,354 gallons of crude oil near Charleston Township KS, contaminating Mill Creek and impacting local wildlife. The estimated cost of emergency response, and property and environmental damage was $473,459,965.

TC Oil Pipeline Operations is owned by TC Energy (ticker symbol TRP). TC Energy’s annual revenue for 2022 was $11.52B.

TC Energy’s penalties for environmental violations in 2021-2022 totaled $1,096,813.

TC Energy spent $5,660,000 on lobbyists from 2021-2022.

TC Energy contributed $283,504 to political campaigns and PACs in 2021-2022.

From 2021-2022 TC Energy received $413,322 in government contracts and grants.