Transportation of Oil and Gas1

Key essay
Definition/background information
Transportation method 1 method 2
Countries involved language features

Transportation of Oil and Gas

Transportation of oil and gases is moving these products from one place to another

mainly by use of pipelines and special tankers. Gases and oil are mostly transported by sea or by

land or by sea where pipelines are constructed underground or through the water to enhance

safety since they are highly flammable. However, some countries and companies have elected

posts in the air where they have connected pipes to transport gases and oil. The pipes line

constructed in air have to be strong so that the risk of the licking is reduced. Mostly, complex

pipelines have been put in countries which are mining oil and gases like Kuwait, Saudi Arabia,

Nigeria, Ecuador Colombia Azerbaijan Iraq, among others. In the past, the pipes were only

developed in first economy countries like Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait but this has changed recently.

Developing countries like Nigeria and Kazakhstan have also developed their pipes lately to

match those of developed countries. Globally, Saudi Arabia has the most developed pipeline

system which was developed and its construction began in the era of industrial revolution

resulting to the country becoming the main gas and oil exporter in the world. Reports indicate

that many oil and gas producing countries are benchmarking with the country since they want to

catch up with the development in fuel industries as witnessed in Saudi Arabia. This essay will

tackle how gases and oil transportation has been developed in the current years in different

countries and how this has led to the growth of economy. It will also discuss challenges which

are involved when transporting these highly flammable product and how various state are

addressing these challenges.

 Transportation of Oil and Gas2

First, Nigeria is developing country according to report by World Bank whose oil and

gases were discovered in 1950s. The country has struggled to see extraction and transportation of

gases and oil since the country’s financial muscle is not well developed. Although oil and gases

contributes more than 30% of the total revenue in Nigeria, energy sector has not been fully

developed thus posing put the industry in to a risk of destroying the environment. If government

pays attention to development of transport system especially at the Delta region, this sector will

highly boost the country’s economy. Oil extraction in Nigeria is done by Shell Company who

extracts oil from the land and transported to the sea using pipelines. The oil is further transported

to the countries of destination using sea tankers through the sea. However, neighboring countries

like Ghana and Niger import oil from Nigeria using pipes fixed on land and in the Atlantic sea.

Lacks of proper piping by Shell Company in Nigeria have caused harm to the citizens in the

country since the result to oil spillage leading to destruction of environment and marine systems

(Kennedy 1993, p428).

Second, Kuwait has been depending on oil and gases to sustain is economy since the

product is highly demanded globally. However, extraction and exportation of these gases was

halted in 1990s during the gulf war which mostly targeted destruction of oil wells and this stated

the development of oil industries in the countries. Reports indicate that landscape was destroyed

beyond recovery when the war led to burning of the oil wells the destroying the environment.

The report further indicates that there was change in weather pattern thus transportation of gases

in the country became a serious problem. Kuwait could not build a strong oil and gas pipping

which led to oil spillage in the sea killing a large number of marine animals and destroying ocean

environment. This also led to destruction of fish industries in Kuwait due to oil spillage in the

ocean. As a result the economy of Kuwait derailed until lately when the country is building after
 Transportation of Oil and Gas3

development of loading and offloading tankers port. The war affected the country and this meant

that Kuwait could not prefer using pipes for oil transportation. Research further shows Kuwait

have preferred the use road tankers over pipeline sine the country’s topography is favorable and

the size of the country do not allow Kuwait to develop pipeline to the neighboring countries (Al-

Menais, 1998, p 102).

The third, country which has enhanced gases and oil transportation is Iraq where pipping

has been laid down from oil reserve of Kurdistan and Kirkuk to the main export routes which are

the Persian Gulf and Turkish ports. Iraq refines its oil in Baghdad thus the pipes in the country

connect Kirkuk, Baghdad and the south ports of Turkey and Syria. The main oil pipeline is

strategically placed between Kirkuk oil wells and Persian Gulf so that the oil gets to the export

destination faster. Nevertheless, the pipeline passes through the capital of the country to enhance

oil management. Additionally these pipes are operated in reverse direction to enhance double

usage where same pipeline can be used to transport raw oil materials as well as refined oil.

Interestingly, this is the major exporting pipeline operating between Iraq and turkey despite

performing double function. There are other independent pipelines which further transport oil

and gases to Turkey while bypassing Baghdad which causes increase in exportation of oil and

natural gases though the Turkish ports (Luft, Gal, 2009, p 197). The main problem with

transporting oil and gases in turkey is blowing of pipes leading to spillage in the Turkish land.

This had led to reduction of profits since Turkey gives strict measures when the pipes burst

which include closing down of pipelines. Iraq government is considering having another

approach of transporting oil from the wells the neighboring countries. Reports indicate that the

country is considering creating another pipeline from oil field to the ports of Baniyas in Syria to
 Transportation of Oil and Gas4

be used as an addition route. However this has not been achieved due to persistence of civil

being witnessed between Iraq and Syria.

Lastly, Yemen being a leading country in exportation of oil and natural gases will be

discussed to see how these products are transported in the country. The observable difference in

Yemen pipeline is that it is isolated from other countries in the region. In total, there are three

pipelines from the central part off Yemen which extends to the south and west ports of Al-Shihri,

Bir Ali and Ras Issa respectively. Apart from those three, there is also another pipeline that

transport raw materials the Balhaf LNG terminal, which is located in the south-east of the

country. The military-political situation in Yemen has led them to almost nonfunctional. There

has been report that Yemen want to construct a pipeline in partnership with Saudi Arabia but

civil conflicts have affected this development thus has not been implemented. Yemen is also

drafting a partnership with Egypt so that it can construct a pipeline that will offer oil outlet in

Africa. This has not worked well for Yemen since relationship between Egypt and EU is

questionable. Transportation of oil and natural gases in Yemen has led to growth of civil wars

plunging the country in to political crisis (Dabbs, Corbett, 1996, p 588).

This essay discusses transportation of oil and gases on various countries in the world

which are greatest exporters of these products in the world. Oil and gases are either transported

using pipes or special tankers in different countries depending on the most appropriate. Countries

like Kuwait prefer using tankers due to burning of pipes and the favorable topography while

other countries like Iran, Iraq and Nigeria are using pipes to transport their oil products. The oil

products are thereafter transported with tankers through the sea and pipes to the neighboring

countries. Oil transportation system in developing countries in developing economy like Nigeria

are greatly improving and may are considering forming partnership with other countries to
 Transportation of Oil and Gas5

enhance transportation of gases. Transportation of gases using pips and tankers has however bee

very hazardous to the health and environment thus strong systems need to be constructed.

Key essay
Definition/background information
Transportation method 1 method 2
Countries involved language features
 Transportation of Oil and Gas6

Work cited

Al-Menais, Waleed. "The Geography of Kuwaiti Oil Transportation 1970-1980." The

Geographical Bulletin 40.2 (1998): 102.

Dabbs, W. Corbett. "Oil production and environmental damage." American University Trade

and Environment Database. As found at www. american.

edu/projects/mandala/TED/projects/tedcross/xoilpr15. htm (1996).

John L. Kennedy. Oil and gas pipeline fundamentals. Pennwell books, 1993.

Luft, Gal. "Dependence on Middle East energy and its impact on global security." Energy and

environmental challenges to security. Springer, Dordrecht, 2009. 197-210.