Pipelines are an economical means of transporting liquids, gasses and some solids. Their initial installation, at least for long distances, tends to be expensive, but after setting up they are extremely cheap to use and maintain. This low maintenance cost is a further advantage in remote areas, or anywhere that access would be difficult or costly. Pipelines work steadily in the background with minimal environmental impact.
The one serious disadvantage of piping, their installation expense, has been largely reduced by modern materials and engineering innovations. Prefabricated piping can be produced at a lower cost than any custom made system, and has the advantages that it is designed to fit together and can be modified with minimal effort. Additionally, the individual fitting pieces of the system do not require welding, riveting, soldering or any other skilled form of joining; interlocking pieces are joined with steel bands. These steel band joins include straight piping sections, pipe cladding elbows, pipe cladding tees and all other pipe cladding materials.
These engineering advantages mean that piping is not only easier but also quicker to install, saving both time and labour costs.