In general, pipelines can be classified, depending on their main purpose, in the following three main categories:
- Gathering pipelines: group of smaller interconnected pipelines forming complex networks with the main purpose of bringing crude oil or natural gas from several nearby wells to a treatment plant or processing facility;
- Transportation pipelines (trunk pipelines): mainly long pipes with large diameters, moving products (oil, gas, refined products) between cities, countries and even continents; these transportation networks include several compressor stations in gas lines or pump stations for crude and multi-product pipelines;
- Distribution pipelines: composed of several interconnected pipelines with small diameters, used to take the products to the final consumer.