I once worked for a place that had the CEO of The Major Pipeline Corp. on its board of governance. As a geographer listening to him I learned a lot about how the control of the distribution controlled not only production but consumption.
When you look at these spatial representations of the oil and gas distribution systems in the United States note the importance of the Louisiana Gulf Coast and the Houston/Port Author, Texas areas as the entry point of much of the non-continental hydrocarbons.
As you watch the BP fiasco develop along the Gulf Coast try to understand that it is a multidimensional problem that will eventually touch every home in North America.
To view the Map details click on them to enlarge. Sources are on the maps themselves.
