LEPA’s Survey Shows 72% of those surveyed hold favorable views of pipelines
Every day, more oil and natural gas than you can imagine flows through approximately 3 million miles of underground pipelines crisscrossing the country. The materials transported through these pipelines fuel our cars, heat our homes and are used to develop more than 6,000 consumer products we rely on daily.
Pipelines are also the safest, most reliable and efficient way to transport oil and natural gas. Studies show that rail is over 4.5 times more likely to experience an incident compared to pipelines, and trucks have even higher risks than rail.
This high level of safety and security is largely due to companies like Energy Transfer (with nearly 140,000 miles of pipeline in 44 states) that use state-of-the-art satellites and sophisticated control centers to monitor pipelines 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
According to the latest polling conducted by the Liquid Energy Pipeline Association (LEPA), Americans seem to recognize the advantages of pipelines over other modes of transport.
The survey, which reflects 3,000 U.S. consumers and their attitudes toward pipelines, shows that 72% of Americans hold a favorable view of pipelines in general, with support increasing to 80% for pipelines that deliver energy. These results are broadly consistent with last year’s LEPA survey.
From a demographic perspective, Americans’ support for pipelines is broad. While support is strongest among rural landowners and blue-collar workers, it is also notable among seniors, millennials and even Gen Z, who each hover around 70% in support.
The common reasons cited for Americans’ support include pipelines being “necessary,” “helpful,” and “valuable,” particularly as they provide energy and contribute to lower prices.
When asked about different types of pipelines, those delivering traditional energy, such as heating for homes and fuel for vehicles, received the highest backing, with more than 7 in 10 Americans supporting them. Pipelines used to transport captured carbon dioxide (CO2) are also viewed favorably by nearly two-thirds of respondents. Additionally, participants’ support of pipelines increases sharply, to 63%, upon learning that without pipelines, oil would otherwise be transported via truck, train or ship.
When considering different aspects of energy, Americans’ top three priorities are safety (67%), affordability (62%) and reliability (58%) – all values that pipelines help deliver.
These polling results highlight the steady support for pipelines among the American public, especially in connection with energy security, affordability and safety. They also validate Energy Transfer’s mission of getting you the energy you need safely and reliably.
