The City of Sweeny is located approximately five miles south of a major petroleum refinery operated by ConocoPhillips.  Many other refineries also operate in the area, such as DOW and BASF.  Pipeline safety, for this reason, is a major concern for area residents. 

There are over 250,000 miles of pipelines underground in the United States transporting over one billion gallons of liquid petroleum every day.   These pipelines provide an extensive and efficient transportation infrastructure that is virtually invisible.  The use of pipelines helps keep the costs of gasoline and other petroleum products down and are vital to our nation's economy.  Of all transportation types (truck, train, ship, barge, pipeline), the pipeline is the safest, quietest, and least expensive way to move large amounts of liquid or gas petroleum.  According to the Department of Transportation, pipelines are the safest method for transporting petroleum.

What is Petroleum?  Liquid petroleum begins as crude oil that is pumped out of the ground.  At a refinery, crude oil is heated and separated into different fuels and chemicals.   Americans consume more than 700 million gallons of petroleum products each day in the form of gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, and jet fuel.

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• Safety & Security

• Pipeline Markers

• Guidelines for Property Owners

• Texas Notification Centers

• Signs of a Pipeline Leak

• What to do if a Leak is Suspected

• For More Information...

Pipeline markers include warning signs, aerial patrol markers, casting vents, as well as painted metal, wooden, and plastic posts.  The picture below shows some commonly used pipeline markers.

There are three notification  centers in Texas.  They all operate on the same principle.  They are computerized notification centers which establishes a communications link between those who dig underground (excavators) and those who operate underground facilities (operators).  These centers will determine from the excavator the location of the work.  They will notify all its members with underground facilities in the area where excavation will take place, as well as all registered notification centers in Texas.  All messages to and from these centers are recorded for the protection of both the excavator and the operators.  The three centers are listed below.

• Hissing or roaring sound.
• Unusual blowing of dirt or dust in the immediate area.
• Unusual, pungent odor, usually a gaseous hydrocarbon, or other unusual odor, sometimes smelling like rotten eggs.**
• Pool of liquid on the ground near a pipeline.
• Dense white cloud of fog over a pipeline or migrating to low lying areas.
• Persistent bubbles in standing water.
• Oil sheen in wet or flooded areas.
• Brown spots or dying vegetation amid healthy plants.
• Flames originating from the ground or valves along the pipeline route.

** Natural gas is essentially odorless.  An odorant called mercaptan is sometimes added to natural gas for safety reasons.  This odorant produces a distinctive "rotten egg" or "skunk" smell.

• DO NOT touch, breathe, or make contact with leaking liquids or vapors.
• Turn off any machinery or equipment in the immediate area.
• DO NOT attempt to extinguish a fire that may be fed by the contents of the pipeline.
• Avoid creating sparks or sources of heat that could cause vapors or liquids to ignite.
• DO NOT light a match, start an engine, or even switch on or off an electric light.
• Turn off any lit pilot lights.
• DO NOT drive into or near the area around the leak.  The car engine might ignite the vapors.
• Immediately leave the area by foot and in a direction away from any vapors or fumes.
• Warn other in the vicinity to stay away from the area.
• Call 911 to alert sheriff/police/fire departments
• Advise them of the location and nature of the situation.

We have provided a comprehensive list of the names of pipeline companies operating in this area, as well as emergency phone numbers and Internet links to these companies, if available.