As Pipelines Multiply, Pigs Are Paramount

Pigs are used for cleaning pipelines, pipelines that carry natural gas, crude oil, waste water from energy producing areas to the places where that energy is used. Perhaps more importantly, they are used to inspect the millions of miles of pipeline that crisscross the country for corrosion and other problems.

Leaky Barrels, German U-Boats And 2.6 Million Miles Of Pipe

There’s an invisible network connecting every corner of the United States. Without it, cars wouldn’t start and lights wouldn’t turn on. At 2.6 million miles, if it were stretched out, it would reach around the Earth more than a hundred times. Chances are, you’ve never noticed it. The nation’s sprawling pipeline network is buried underground, out of sight and out of mind. But it wasn’t always the case that pipelines crisscrossed the nation, bringing energy where it was needed.