# Gas pipelines and city gas

High-pressure transmission lines with compressor stations, and low-pressure city gas mains.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/

Transport · Liquid and gaseous fuels · No. 57

- Transport
- Form: Gaseous fuel
 Transport · Liquid and gaseous fuels · Foundation · Energy

Gas creeps through pipelines at only 16-32 km/h, and the pipes themselves double as a store that swings every day.

Chart: Illustration: Gas pipelines and city gas

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Gas from wells is cleaned, then pushed through steel pipes 60-90 cm across at about 55-83 bar. Every 65-160 km a compressor station squeezes the pressure back up.

##### Three things to know

1. Germany plans a 9,040 km hydrogen core network by 2032, with about 60% of it converted natural gas pipe.
2. Measured methane leaks from US city gas mains come to about five times the official EPA inventory figure.
3. In 2024, local distribution and retail made up about 70% of the price US households paid for gas.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Wells**Gas cleaned of water, sulphur and liquids
2. 2 **Trunk line**Steel pipe at about 55-83 bar
3. 3 **Compressors**Re-boost pressure every 65-160 km
4. 4 **Storage**Line pack and underground stores balance demand
5. 5 **City gate**Pressure cut, odorant added, mains deliver
 Covered in [Moving energy: wires, pipes and shipsEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/moving-energy/)

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/correlation/index.md)
- [How it works](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/explain/index.md)
- [Efficiency and losses](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/efficiency/index.md)
- [Technology advances](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/advances/index.md)
- [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/valuechain/index.md)
- [Geopolitics and regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/geopolitics/index.md)
- [Unit economics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/economics/index.md)
- [Impact on the biosphere](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/biosphere/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_pipelines/links/index.md)