Coupled Up

摘要

Pouring crude oil in a tank car, then taking it someplace, had become nearly unknown in this business after World War 11. North America's sprawling crude pipeline network came into its own during that conflict through such projects as the Big Inch and Little Inch pipelines in the U.S. and Canada's Canol line. They proved pipelines are safe and reliable—notjust a way to avoid Nazi submarines. Then the Bakken shale play happened. Its gusher of crude overwhelmed the Williston basin's limited midstream infrastructure and producers had to find a Plan B and fast. Hey, why not rent some tank cars and ship production that way? It worked.