AOPL Information Site

Our nation's 200,000 miles of oil pipelines safely and efficiently supply us with a commodity that is fundamental to the American way of life. Pipelines deliver the crude oil that refineries convert into essential material for core industries such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture. They transport the fuel for our cars, trucks, airplanes, and ships in a way that is both cost effective and safe.

As a trade association, AOPL:

Acts as an information clearinghouse for the public, the media and the pipeline industry.
Provides coordination and leadership for the industry's ongoing Joint Environmental Safety Initiative.
Represents common carrier crude and product petroleum pipelines in Congress, before regulatory agencies, and in the federal courts.

AOPL Headlines

AOPL Accounting Committee Issues Industry Accounting Guideline - The Oil Pipeline Industry Accounting Guideline was issued by the AOPL Accounting Committee in October 2008. This Guideline aims to provide an industry-sponsored interpretation of regulaotry accounting standards for common carrier oil pipelines subject to regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

New Issue of In the Pipe - The summer of issue of "In the Pipe" is now available online. June's issue focuses on damage prevention with articles on public awareness programs, the Pipeline Informed Planning Alliance, and updates on the 811 campaign, biofuels and more.

Recent News Related to Biofuels

Congress Passes Farm Bill to Support Increased Ethanol Production - The House and Senate have passed the 2008 farm bill by sufficient margins to override a potential presidential veto. The farm bill contains many policy and tax provisions to support the increased production of ethanol and biofuels. The complete bill is available at http://agriculture.senate.gov/

Following is a summary of relevant energy provisions:

A reduction in the blenders tax credit for ethanol of 6 cents/gallon that would lower it to 45 cents/gallon beginning in 2009
Extension of the 54 cent/gallon tariff on most imported ethanol through 2010
Elimination of the duty drawback on ethanol imports for exporting like amounts of jet fuel
New production tax credit of $1.01/gallon for cellulosic biofuels
Directs the Department of Agriculture to conduct a study of the infrastructure needs associated with the expanding production and use of biofuels, to be conducted jointly with the Departments of Energy and Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency

Ethanol Proponents Push Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Rule on Higher Blends - Margo Oge, director of EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, told a May 8 meeting of the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee's (CAAAC) Mobile Sources Technical Review Subcommittee that oil industry representatives told her in a recent meeting that the industry's analysis shows that by 2010, all petroleum in the United States will be an E10 blend. That will be about 15 billion gallons of ethanol demand annually and will leave the ethanol industry with the continued need to ensure demand for another 21 billion gallons per year by 2022 that they will need to produce under the 2007 energy law mandate.

"The question is: how do you distribute the remaining fuel [after the 15 billion gallons]? We're participating with stakeholders to see what can happen with other ethanol blends. For example E15 and E20 blend," she said. The automobile industry, small engine manufactures and even some environmental groups have raised concerns about increasing the ethanol blend levels above E10 because of potential environmental and engine performance and reliability concerns. EPA is reviewing the issue but no time frame for a decision has been announced.

May Was National Safe Digging Month! May 5^th marked the one year anniversary of the launch of the national call-before-you-dig number, 811. To commemorate the anniversary of 811, the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) designated May 2008 as National Safe Digging Month.

Throughout the month of May, CGA and its members encouraged homeowners and contractors to call 811 before they dig to prevent injuries, property damage, and inconvenient outages.

On more information on how you can support National Safe Digging Month visit the Common Ground Alliance.