Crude Oil Pipeline Many to most of the oil pipelines in the U.S.A. are approaching or have passed the estimated 45 year useful lifespan.  We are experiencing more and more pipeline breaks and massive oil spills as the aging pipes rot out from being in contact with earth, water, bacteria, etc.; additionally the freeze thaw cycles and the heat cold cycles expand and contract pipe, coupling, and other fittings, which cause cracks and other failures.  The BorderTransportationSystem houses the oil pipeline(3) in an enclosed above ground and out of the weather shelter, the 'T' that supports the Mag Lev trains.  Being in an all weather shelter the pipes should last two to three times as long, without major failures. Additionally, buried pipelines are out of sight and when a leak occurs no one sees the leak until much later, if at all.  The enclosed pipeline in the BorderTransportationSystem is monitored 24/7 and if a leak occurs the flow valves can be turned off immediately thus limiting the leak in size. Index of ... Advisory Bulletins Pipeline transport - Wikipedia The State of the National Pipeline Infrastructure Underground Piping: Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Until It Leaks