Pipeline environmental barrier system

1. A system for the containment of pipeline spills and leaks comprising:

a non-reservoir segment, comprising:

a pipeline for transporting a first liquid;

a barrier layer comprising material impermeable to the first liquid;

a non-reservoir trench excavated below ground level with sufficient depth and width to accommodate at least the pipeline as well as the barrier layer;

two berms, each above ground level, comprising a longitudinal axis and a ridgeline; and

a backfill;

wherein the two berms are substantially parallel along the longitudinal axes and positioned on either side of the non-reservoir trench; the barrier layer is disposed to cover the non-reservoir trench and the berms, reaching at least the ridgelines of the two berms; the pipeline is disposed within the non-reservoir trench above the barrier layer; and the backfill is located on top of the pipeline and the barrier layer, forming a grade bridging the ridgelines of the two berms; and

a reservoir segment, comprising:

a reservoir trench excavated below ground level and wider than the non-reservoir trench;

wherein the reservoir trench is connected to the non-reservoir trench; the barrier layer extends through to cover the reservoir trench, the non-reservoir trench, and the berms, reaching at least the ridgelines of the two berms; and the pipeline extends through and is disposed within the reservoir trench and the non-reservoir trench, and above the barrier layer of the reservoir trench and the non-reservoir trench.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir segment further comprises:

two reservoir berms, each above ground level, each comprising a longitudinal axis and a ridgeline;

wherein the two reservoir berms are positioned substantially parallel along the longitudinal axes and positioned on either side of the reservoir trench, and the two reservoir berms are connected to the two berms of the non-reservoir segment; and the barrier layer is extended to cover at least up to the reservoir berm ridgelines.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the non-reservoir segment and the reservoir segment further comprise:

a hazardous liquid sensor for detecting the first liquid, disposed within the reservoir trench and positioned above the barrier layer; and

a hazardous liquid indicator operatively coupled to the hazardous liquid sensor.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the barrier layer is impermeable to the first liquid and permeable to a second liquid.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first liquid is crude oil, petroleum products, or some combination thereof, and the second liquid is water.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer is impermeable to crude oil, petroleum products, or some combination thereof, and permeable to water.

7. A system for the containment of pipeline spills and leaks comprising:

a non-reservoir segment, comprising:

a pipeline for transporting a first liquid;

a barrier layer comprising material impermeable to the first liquid; and

two berms, each above ground level, each comprising a longitudinal axis and a ridgeline, the two berms being substantially parallel along the longitudinal axes and define a pipeline path which is sufficiently wide to accommodate the pipeline and the barrier layer;

wherein the barrier layer is disposed to cover the pipeline path and the two berms, reaching at least the ridgelines of the two berms; and the pipeline is disposed within the pipeline path above the barrier layer;

and a reservoir segment, comprising:

two reservoir berms, each above ground level, and each comprising a longitudinal axis and a ridgeline, the two reservoir berms defining a reservoir pool for accumulating the first liquid;

wherein the reservoir pool is connected to the pipeline path; the two reservoir berms are connected to the two berms; the barrier layer extends through to cover the pipeline pathway, the two berms, reaching at least the ridgelines of the two berms, the reservoir pool and the two reservoir berms, reaching at least the reservoir berm ridgelines; and the pipeline extends through such that the pipeline is disposed within the pipeline path and the reservoir pool, and above the barrier layer.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the non-reservoir segment and the reservoir segment further comprise:

a hazardous liquid sensor for detecting the first liquid disposed within the reservoir trench and positioned above the barrier layer; and

a hazardous liquid indicator operatively coupled to the hazardous liquid sensor.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the barrier layer is impermeable to the first liquid and permeable to a second liquid.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first liquid is crude oil, petroleum products, or some combination thereof, and the second liquid is water.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the barrier layer is impermeable to a first liquid, where the first liquid is crude oil, petroleum products, or some combination thereof, and the barrier layer is permeable to water.

12. A method for the construction of a system for the containment of pipeline spills and leaks comprising:

excavation of a non-reservoir trench below ground level with sufficient depth and width to accommodate at least a pipeline for transporting a first liquid, as well as a barrier layer;

construction of two non-reservoir berms above ground level, each non-reservoir berm comprising a longitudinal axis and a ridgeline, the non-reservoir berms substantially parallel along the longitudinal axes to the non-reservoir trench;

deployment of the barrier layer covering the non-reservoir trench as well as the two non-reservoir berms, including up to the ridgeline of the two non-reservoir berms, the barrier layer comprising a material impermeable to the first liquid;

disposition of the pipeline within the trench and above the barrier layer;

deployment of a backfill between the two berms;

grading the backfill to form a grade bridging the ridgeline of the two berms;

excavation of a reservoir trench below ground level, connected to the non-reservoir trench;

extension of the barrier layer from the non-reservoir trench to cover the reservoir trench; and

extension of the pipeline from the non-reservoir trench such that the pipeline traverses the reservoir trench.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

placement of a hazardous liquid sensor within the reservoir trench and above the barrier layer; and

operatively coupling the hazardous liquid sensor to a hazardous liquid indicator.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

construction of two reservoir berms above ground level, each reservoir berm comprising a ridgeline and a longitudinal axis, the reservoir berms substantially parallel along the longitudinal axes and positioned generally around the reservoir trench, and the two reservoir berms are connected to the non-reservoir berms; and

extension of the barrier layer to cover the reservoir berms up to at least the reservoir berm ridgelines.