Number of oil pipelines globally 2025, by status
There was a total of 864 operational oil pipelines in the world as of January 2025. The number of oil pipelines under construction at that time was 30. This was notably lower than the number of gas pipelines worldwide, as the fossil fuel is more commonly transported via pipelines than crude oil. Crude oil extracted offshore is most often transported via tanker ships.
Pipeline transportation is used to move gaseous or liquid products from their production or extraction site to refineries and ultimately end consumers. Oil pipelines measure between 100 and 1,220 millimeters in diameter and are made from steel or thermoplastic high-density polyethylene.
