List of pipeline accidents in the United States in 2020

This is not a complete list of all pipeline accidents. For natural gas alone, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a United States Department of Transportation agency, has collected data on more than 3,200 accidents deemed serious or significant since 1987.

A "significant incident" results in any of the following consequences:

• fatality or injury requiring in-patient hospitalization
• $50,000 or more in total costs, measured in 1984 dollars
• liquid releases of five or more barrels (42 US gal/barrel)
• releases resulting in an unintentional fire or explosion

PHMSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) post incident data, and results of investigations, into accidents involving pipelines that carry a variety of products, including natural gas, oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, carbon dioxide, and other substances. Occasionally pipelines are repurposed to carry different products.[1]

• On May 4, a gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned, in Fleming County, Kentucky. There were no injuries.[2]

• On July 28, a gas line explosion and fire occurred in Martin County, Texas, on Tuesday, which injured four workers. A ditching truck hit an existing high-pressure gas line, causing an explosion and fire.[3]

• On July 29, a contractor ruptured a gas pipeline, in Mont Belvieu, Texas, causing an explosion and fire. There were no injuries.[4]

• On August 14, a Colonial Pipeline mainline, a 40 inch pipeline, was discovered to be leaking, in the Oehler Nature Preserve, near Huntersville, North Carolina. Approximately 1.2 million gallons of gasoline were spilled. The leak was near a previously repaired area.[5]

• On August 18, an El Paso Natural Gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned, near Midland, Texas. There were no injuries.[6]

• On August 21, a dredging vessel hit a submerged Enterprise Products propane pipeline, in the harbor of Corpus Christi, Texas, causing an explosion and fire. Four of the crew were killed, and, six others were injured.[7][8]