Crude by Tired Circuits

Crude is a research and music project.

The project compiles Hazardous Liquid Accident data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). We specifically focus on eight onshore crude oil pipeline spills, referred to as “involuntary releases,” that affect rivers and lakes, drinking water, groundwater, and wildlife, in 2021-2022.

The PHMSA’s data is presented alongside information about the political spending, regulatory fines, and government contracts of the pipelines’ parent companies to explore the impact and context of these pipeline failures.

For more information and citations please visit
https://joshuadumas.art/tiredcircuits/badwaters/crude/

Tracklist

1.	Osage Pipe Line released 298k gallons of crude near Cushing OK	3:30

2.	Noble Midstream Services released 14k gallons of crude oil near Gill CO	4:33

3.	Marathon Pipe Line released 147k gallons of crude oil near Edwardsville IL	4:18

4.	Cox Operating released 11k gallons of crude oil near Cameron LA	4:15

5.	West Texas Gulf Pipeline released 16k gallons of crude oil near Centerville TX	4:26

6.	Mid-Valley Pipeline released 182k gallons of crude oil near Henderson TN	3:59

7.	Sunoco Pipeline released 8k gallons of crude oil near Athens TX	5:34

8.	TC Oil Pipeline Operations released 543k gallons of crude oil near Charleston Township KS	3:04

Credits

released March 4, 2024

Tired Circuits’ Joshua Dumas created custom code to sonify eight PHMSA incident reports, mapping data to aural elements like distortion, pitch, and waveform to build noisy soundscapes. He then composed melodies and rhythms atop those soundscapes while looking at images of the affected towns and waterways.

Recorded and Mixed by Joshua Dumas at Pieholden Suite Sound, Chicago IL; at Dark Swirl, Brooklyn NY; and at Russell Street Recording, Brooklyn NY.
Mastered by Scott Craggs at Old Colony Mastering, Scituate RI.

Eric Barrier was a vital editor, copywriter, and collaborator on the text.

If you are working for ecological justice, independently or through a nonprofit organization, you may use this music for free in your own promotional materials. Please write me, and I will happily and promptly provide sync release paperwork.

This music is dedicated to Water Defenders everywhere.

License