Category Archives: Oil & Gas

Oil Choke Points vulnerable to war, chaos, terrorism, piracy

Posted on October 22, 2019 by

Preface. The U.S., thanks to fracking, which is likely to peak by 2025, produces half of the 20 million barrels of oil it uses per day. The other half of our oil is imported, with 45% of imports (4.5 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Chokepoints, Infrastructure Attacks, Oil & Gas, Oil Shocks, Threats to oil supply | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Saudi oil infrastructure at risk from drone attacks

Posted on September 19, 2019 by

Preface. This NYT article was published 4 months ago, and its warning just came true. Quite prescient! Drones make it pretty easy to anonymously attack the thousands of miles of pipelines across the Arabian peninsula, oil tankers, pumping stations, and … Continue reading →

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Threats to America’s oil pipeline grid

Posted on May 30, 2019 by

Preface. At some point of energy decline there will be Americans who tap into pipelines to get scarce oil for themselves and to sell it on black markets. Just look at the massive amount of oil being stolen in Nigeria … Continue reading →

Posted in Fuel Distribution, Oil & Gas, Terrorism | Tagged | 1 Comment

Preventing economic shock wave: Securing the port of Houston from a terrorist attack

Posted on March 29, 2018 by

                    [ An attack on (LNG) ships, oil tankers, or the Houston port facilities Houston would cause an oil shock, since a third of oil refining takes place there, and it’s … Continue reading →

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Implications of Refinery closures for Homeland Security and Critical infrastructure safety

Posted on April 13, 2016 by

House 112-76. March 19, 2012. The Implications of Refinery Closures for U.S. Homeland security and Critical Infrastructure safety. House of Representatives.   [Excerpts from the 54 page testimony] Our country relies on a complex and modern infrastructure system to distribute … Continue reading →

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It’s official – the U.S. is energy independent! House Hearing 2013

Posted on April 7, 2016 by

House 113-88. October 29, 2013. North American Energy Infrastructure act. House of Representatives. [Excerpts from the 195 page transcript of this hearing]  ED WHITFIELD, KENTUCKY. Over the last several months, this committee has received compelling testimony detailing how the United … Continue reading →

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Corrosion eats $552 billion infrastructure a year (6% of GDP)

Posted on March 26, 2016 by

USDOT. March 2002. Corrosion cost and preventive strategies in the United States. U.S. Department of transportation, Federal highway administration. 784 pages. NACE. Corrosion costs and preventive strategies in the United States.   [ United States infrastructure was built when the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bridges, Oil & Gas, Railroads, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Oil Infrastructure – pipelines, refineries, terminals

Posted on June 10, 2015 by

Sider, A. and Friedman, N. November 2, 2016. More than half of U.S. Pipelines are at least 46 years old. Building new systems has become harder amid opposition from landowners and environmental groups. Wall Street Journal. More than 60% of … Continue reading →

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Almost half of Rail Freight is Energy, increasingly Crude Oil

Posted on October 8, 2014 by

Source: American Association of Railroads. 46% of all tonnage hauled by freight trains is Energy: In 2014, crude oil will likely be 650,000 carloads — 2% of all carloads, 2.2% of tonnage.  In addition 2.6% of rail tonnage was refined … Continue reading →

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Terrorism and the Electric Power Delivery System. National Academy of Sciences.

Posted on July 1, 2014 by

Much of what follows is from the National Academy of Science 2012  (for the Department of Homeland Security): “Terrorism and the Electric Power Delivery System” & 2013 “The Resilience of the Electric Power Delivery System in Response to Terrorism and … Continue reading →

Posted in Electric Grid, Electricity, Infrastructure, Oil & Gas, Water | 1 Comment