Pipelines

Advantages

• They are very efficient
• They are cheap once the installation has been completed.
• They can carry fluids in bulk.

Disadvantages

• They are immobile i.e the route cannot be changed once they are installed.
• Can only carry fluids such as oil, gas and water and not solids like meat.
• They are very expensive to install and maintain.
• They are easy to sabotage e.g. the RENAMO bandits constantly threatened and sabotaged Zimbabwe’s Beira-Feruka pipeline during the Mozambican Civil War.
• Leaks and damage can be difficult to detect if the pipeline is underground.
• Special pipelines are required to carry flammables.

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