The use of pipelines dates back to ancient civilizations:

5000 B.C.

  • Pipes made of clay or stone were widely used in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Rome
  • Water supplies are known to have been piped over long distances in the Middle East
  • Bamboo pipes started being used in China

In time, the discovery and use of petroleum created a new era in pipeline use. Oil pipelines have existed for over a century. The development has been closely related to the expansion of industry and the development of the automobile.

1861

The first crude oil pipeline was constructed of wood and laid down in the USA

1905

Crude oil pipelines carrying oil from the prolific fields in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas to the refineries in the East began to cross the country

1910

Standard Oil controlled over 80 % of the world’s refining and transportation. John D. Rockefeller was the most powerful man in the world

1920

Driven by the growth of the automobile industry, total US pipeline mileage grew to over 185,000 km

Today

Today, there are more than 3,500,000 km of pipelines around the world and much more under construction

Sources: Historical Development of the Pipeline as a Mode of Transportation by M.O Lawal Professor
History of Pipelines- http://www.pipeline101.com/the-history-of-pipelines

By: Atmos International
Date: 11 October 2019