Van Jones, former Obama adviser, takes no prisoners in new anti-Keystone XL video

[Socialistlemur]

6. Tell them to contact me here and I can help

I'm willing to help them. But I don't think the national Academy of Sciences is really a forum to discuss pipeline safety. This isn't really a science issue, it's simple engineering, metallurgy, and environmental protection. Bread and butter issues for a well trained engineer. There are some issues to consider, for example sometimes the Coker naphtha used to dilute the tar is loaded with organic acids. But this is more of a problem at high temperatures. Heavy oils in general have high acid numbers and this has to be taken into account. When I have had to review these designs I suggested thicker pipe walls and also the use of corrosion coupons to make sure they understand what's going on. But this is customary, and I'd guess they are doing it because if the pipe does corrode they have to lower the operating pressure, and this costs them a ton of lost earnings. Sometimes the public forgets there's areas where scientists don't thread, and this is one of them. If I were running a project team for a large pipeline, I wouldn't hire a single one, this just isn't their bailiwick.