In 2008, an explosion damaged a natural gas pipeline in South
America. This particular pipeline is vital to Brazil’s economy,
delivering an average of 31 million cubic meters each day. When
the explosion occurred, everything from the safety of the
workers to the surrounding environment was at great risk. Had
the fire from the explosion spread, it would have continued for
several pipeline segments. Repairs would have ranged from
hundreds of thousands to millions of U.S. dollars, potentially
driving up the cost of natural gas and leaving millions of
people without power. Fortunately, a number of safety systems,
including line-break detection systems and automated valve
controls designed for a “fail to close” condition, did exactly
what they were installed to do: isolate the damage to a single
section and prevent fire from spreading through the pipeline
(see Sidebar). Challenges to pipelines today In today’s world,
pipelines can be vulnerable to countless threats—i.e., natural
disasters such as earthquakes, floo