Where Are Pipelines Located?

Our country is crisscrossed with more than 2.3 million miles of underground pipelines. Because they are buried, line markers are used on the surface to show the approximate location of the pipelines at many points along their route. These markers should list the product being transported, the name of the pipeline operator and a telephone number of a company representative who can be reached 24 hours a day.

Though helpful, markers and indicators provide limited information and cannot be relied upon to reveal the exact position of a pipeline. Markers are placed near the pipeline but they are necessarily on the surface, and pipelines may not follow a straight line between markers. Furthermore, pipeline markers don't provide information on the depth, size or number of pipelines traveling the same route. Ask your local fire department where pipelines are in your neighborhood or visit www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov.