We all know the Plains pipeline needs to be rebuilt, simply because that 30,000 barrels of locally produced oil it once carried cannot be replaced except by oil shipped to us by rail and oil supertanker.
So, here’s my proposal: Rebuild the thing above ground. That’s actually a good practice as it reduces external corrosion and makes inspection easier.
Imagine. A 30-inch above-ground pipeline, up on supports like the Alaska pipeline. Painted bright, bright orange. With billboards every mile, saying, “This pipeline is needed to carry 30,000 barrels of crude oil to refineries so you can keep driving your cars.”