By the end of 1944, what percentage of oil was moved by pipeline in the United States?

• A. 42%
• B. 35%
• C. 60%
• D. 25%

Answer: (A)

Pipelines became a major, efficient way to move oil long distances, offering continuous flow with lower handling and risk than rail or water transport. By the end of 1944, pipelines carried a little under half of the oil moved in the United States, reflecting rapid expansion of the pipeline network during wartime while rail and water still handled a sizable portion. The other options would imply either an even larger share or a much smaller one, which doesn’t align with how transportation shifted in that era. This era shows pipelines as a dominant supporting mode, strong but not the sole means of moving oil.