Why this is a Texas-sized problem
Texas carries more pipeline mileage than any other state — gathering lines from production, transmission trunk lines crossing the state, and distribution networks around every city. The practical consequence for a land buyer is that pipeline crossings are common rather than exotic, and because a buried line shows nothing at the surface beyond occasional markers, a parcel can look entirely unencumbered on a drive-by.
What the easement actually does
A pipeline easement grants the operator a defined right-of-way — often 30 to 50 feet wide, sometimes more — within which they may access, maintain, and replace the line. Typical restrictions on the landowner:
- No permanent structures within the right-of-way. This is the one that matters: it removes a strip from your buildable area permanently.
- No deep-rooted trees, and often no substantial landscaping.
- No excavation or change of grade without consent — you cannot add or remove cover over the pipe.
- Access rights for the operator, including bringing equipment across the rest of your land to reach the right-of-way.
Terms are set by the recorded instrument, which may date from the 1950s and may be broader than a modern easement would be. Read the document.
Commodity changes the risk profile
Not all lines are equivalent. A high-pressure natural gas transmission line or a hazardous liquid line (crude, refined products, highly volatile liquids like ethane or propane) carries a meaningfully larger consequence area than a low-pressure distribution line, and sits inside a federal framework of "high consequence areas" that affects what can be permitted nearby. When you identify a crossing, identify the commodity and the operating pressure, not just the fact of a pipe.
How to check a specific parcel
- Title commitment. A recorded easement should appear as an exception. This is the authoritative source for what is permitted.
- Spatial check. Overlay pipeline route data on the parcel boundary to see whether a line crosses, abuts, or passes near it, and where. Note that public route data is positionally approximate — it tells you a line is there, not exactly where to dig.
- Walk it. Look for right-of-way markers, mowed linear clearings, and vent or valve assemblies.
- Call 811 before any excavation. Always, regardless of what the maps said.
- Read the instrument. Pull the recorded easement from county deed records and read the width, the permitted uses, and the consent terms.
What a report gives you here
TerraIQs measures the distance from the parcel to each nearby pipeline and reports the operator, the commodity class, and a severity note for that commodity, alongside the other twelve due diligence sections — see the full checklist. It is a screening step: it tells you a line is there and what it carries, which is what you need before deciding whether to pay for title work. It does not substitute for the recorded easement or for 811.
Frequently asked
Generally no. A pipeline easement typically prohibits permanent structures within the right-of-way and restricts deep-rooted trees, excavation, and changes in cover depth. The specific easement document controls, and terms vary widely — some allow fences and driveway crossings with written consent, others are stricter. The recorded instrument is the authority, not the operator's website.
Usually yes, and how much depends on placement rather than mere presence. A line running along a boundary with the rest of the parcel clear is a modest discount; a line bisecting the only buildable area can take a large share of the usable value, because it removes the building envelope rather than just acreage.
Pipeline right-of-way markers at road and fence crossings carry the operator's name and an emergency number. The National Pipeline Mapping System shows transmission lines by operator, and the Texas Railroad Commission maintains state pipeline data. The easement itself will be recorded in the county deed records against the parcel.
Check a specific parcel
TerraIQs runs the public-data half of this checklist on any Texas parcel — 14.3M parcels across all 254 counties — and returns one report with the source layer and retrieval date on every section. First report is free.