From the U.S. Government Accountability Office, www.gao.gov

Transcript for: Pipe Failure at a Strategic Petroleum Reserve Site 

Description: Strategic Petroleum Reserve sites’ aging infrastructure 
and equipment failures could affect their readiness for oil release. 
This video shows a 2016 pipe failure at a Strategic Petroleum Reserve 
site.  Footage provided by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Related GAO Work: GAO-18-477: Strategic Petroleum Reserve: DOE Needs to 
Strengthen Its Approach to Planning the Future of the Emergency 
Stockpile

Released: June 2018


[ First Screen ]

GAO Logo

[ Second Screen ]

Text: Strategic Petroleum Reserve sites’ aging infrastructure and 
equipment failures could affect their readiness for oil release.

[ Third Screen ]

Text: The following video shows a 2016 pipe failure at a Strategic 
Petroleum Reserve Site.

Text: GAO-18-477

[ Fourth Screen ] 

(Mounted Camera footage of a large elevated pipeline over an industrial 
area)

Text:
Winnie, Texas 
Big Hill Site
April 11, 2016

(Pipeline ruptures with large amounts of brown liquid immediately 
covering the area in view.  Brown liquid continues to pour out of the 
ruptured pipeline.)

[ Final Screen ] 

(Video fades to black)

Text: Footage provided by the U.S. Department of Energy