Planning and constructing new pipeline for natural gas and hazardous liquid is a process involving many parties and procedures. To insure the safety of construction crews and the general public, all pipeline companies must adhere to specific regulations, enforced by the federal government. Though safety is a primary concern, careful planning is also a major factor in the profitability and efficiency of a pipeline, creating an incentive for pipeline companies such as Western Pipeline Corp or Northwest Pipeline Corp to proceed cautiously in the planning process.

Determining the route of a new possible pipeline is the first planning phase, requiring companies to investigate the market demand and customer support, as well as determining several alternative route possibilities. The level of research involved in this process is astounding. All factors, such as what communities require service, what size pipelines should be used, what natural resources will be affected, what environmental regions or population centers are near by, and what other underground systems are already in place, must be carefully considered and added to the decision making process. All government agencies and members of the general public located along the proposed route must also be individually consulted through public notices and meetings. Environmental impact and land use assessments must be completed as well as various alternative scenario plans and protocols. The results of these various investigations will often alter the original pipeline route. As the final route is determined, the land must be acquired either by license, easement, or purchase. Permits must be obtained from relevant government agencies for jurisdiction of the pipeline "right-of-way," but even after all of this, the planning phase is far from complete.

There are still several regulatory processes necessary before the construction phase, especially involving natural gas. The government possesses regulatory control of all natural gas pipelines via the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The FERC investigates various impacts that a new pipeline route will have on the environment, buildings, fences, crops, water supplies, soil, vegetation, wildlife, air quality, safety, noise, etc. The purpose of this investigation is to insure that there is no superior alternative route. Perhaps the route can be positioned near an already present pipeline or other utilitarian right-of-way. This process may move quickly if the environmental impact is low, but if there is any question, several new processes of in-depth mitigation will need approval before anything can progress. Pipelines constructed for transporting hazardous liquids are somewhat less regulated, as the governing regulatory entities are on the state and local level.

After these steps have been carried out, the design portion of the planning phase may commence. This involves detailed construction design as well as decisions on materials, components, and safety measures. This part of the planning process can be just as time consuming as the previous research and regulation phase because all designs must adhere to everything that was previously decided. After the designs are drawn and all permits have been obtained, construction on a new pipeline route may continue. All of this planning and deliberation is carried out in order to have the most efficient network of pipeline while insuring the safety of the American people. The United States has the largest and most complicated network of pipeline in the world, and it is no coincidence that it is also one of the safest.