Perhaps, and only a guess with no info, corrosion from a break in the pipeline coating allowed enough iron-oxide material in the soil to help create a path to the weakened pipeline at that point.
Maybe, or maybe not...
The break in the pipeline happened in a remote area, and officials said no water was contaminated or wildlife hurt.
As if those two items were important relative to the farmers field and livelihood in question. Yea, I know, seven and a half acres.
One would also ask what the capabilities of pipeline monitoring are these days, how big a hole before someone is able to detect the leak? Thackney would know or know where to find out.
20,000 barrels, 6” line, and it’s only a 1/4” hole.
It had to start as a pinhole and fluid cutting enlarged it to 1/4” over time.
Corrosion would probably be a bigger hole as the fluid cutting would cut the thin wall from corrosion faster than nominal wall.
If it’s seamless pipe it’s probably in the weld and someone missed it with the X-ray. Pin hole, thick wall, slow fluid cut.
If it’s pipe with a weld seam same thing. Pin hole in seam, thick wall, slow fluid cut.
Wow, that is a lot of oil. Seven and a half acres. How did that go unnoticed for so long? There is no excuse for that. It makes the whole industry look bad.