The United States has about 1.2 million miles of natural gas pipeline, not including the individual service lines that run into homes and businesses. The following photos show the natural gas delivery system from the wellhead, where natural gas is extracted, to the burner tip, or end-use energy form. Gas flowing from higher to lower pressure is the fundamental principle of the natural gas delivery system.
Natural pressure brings natural gas to the top of the well, where it goes into gathering lines.
Some gathering lines deliver natural gas to a processing plant, where impurities such as water or carbon dioxide are removed. The natural gas then moves into the transmission system, which is composed of large steel pipe ranging from 20 inches to 42 inches in diameter. The pressure ranges from 200 pounds to 1,500 pounds per square inch. Compressor stations are located every 50 to 60 miles along each pipeline. Many compressor stations are operated from a pipeline's central control room.