Pathways
Geography: Edexcel A Level, topic 8.2.5
Pipelines and Transmission Lines
Energy pathways describe the flow of an energy resource from the producer to the consumer. Pipelines and transmissions lines are ways for this flow to be transferred.
Pipelines
- Natural gas and oil can be transported via pipelines that run either overground, underground or along a seabed.
Russian exports
- The 4,188 km long East Siberia Pacific Ocean (ESPO) oil pipeline allows Russia to export oil to China, South Korea and Japan.
- The 4,107 km Yamal-Europe Gas Pipeline starts in Russia and passes through Belarus and Poland to Germany. Russia is the largest supplier of natural gas to Europe.
Transmission lines
- Transmission lines are high voltage lines that carry electricity from the power plants that generate them to where the energy is needed.
- The interconnected transmission lines system in the UK is known as the national grid.
- Transmission lines carry the high voltage electricity to a substation where it decreases the voltage to what is needed by factories, businesses and other customers.
Transporting Energy
Gas and oil are transported by road, rail and shipping.
Shipping routes
- Roughly 50% of the world’s oil is transported by tankers on shipping routes. Tankers can also transport gas, but in its liquid form LNG (liquid natural gas).
Shipping route chokepoints
- As the ships transport the measure cargo, there are chokepoints. These are narrow sea channels where transport can be easily disrupted.
- There are eight major chokepoints across the world including the Strait of Hormuz, which is only 39km wide.
- If these chokepoints become blocked or threatened, energy prices may rise and energy security of nations dependent on the oil and gas is threatened.
Road and railway
- Petroleum (oil) can be transported via rail.
- The USA uses rail as a way of transporting crude oil from refineries along the west and east coast.
- Railways move around 50% of the 265,000,000 barrels of crude oil from Bakken (North Dakota and Montana) to the East coast.
Impact on Energy Security
Energy security is highly affected by the vulnerability of transport networks. Pipelines are intentionally placed to avoid damage and ships avoid areas known for piracy.
Pipelines
- Pipelines are placed to reduce or avoid passing through transit states. This has lead Russia’s Gazprom to run 1200km of the Nord Stream pipeline along the bed of the Baltic Sea.
- If pipelines are damaged, this can cause massive impacts.
- During winter storms in 2013, which damaged the importing pipeline, the UK was left with six hours worth of gas reserves.
Piracy on ships
- During 2015, piracy attacks were reported along the Strait of Malacca.
- Ships are frequently seized for hostage payments. This has happened over 500 times between 2009-2015.
Test yourself on Pathways
What is the interconnected transmission lines system in the UK known as?
Roughly how much of the world’s oil is transported by tankers on shipping routes?
How is oil transported?
How many times did piracy attacks happen in the Strait of Malacca between 2009 and 2015?