The pipeline section that failed runs from MS to Atlanta. Colonial said it would begin excavation operations on Friday afternoon to fix the affected section.
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It’s unclear when the line started leaking, but Colonial said in a statement that the leak was detected on September 9, and about 6,000 to 8,000 barrels of gasoline had been lost.
Gasoline futures have soared and prices at the pump in certain states have started to spike owing to an continuing partial shutdown of Colonial Pipeline, the vital artery bringing gasoline and other products to the U.S. East Coast.
A gasoline pipeline leak In Shelby County Alabama threatens to disrupt fuel supplies in several east coast states.
The distillate line has been since reopened and parts of the gasoline line are operating as well, but shipments have been slowed due to the pipeline damage, and that is already causing retail gasoline prices to rise.
Bill Haslam declared a state of emergency late Friday to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply in the state after the Colonial Pipeline leak.
Gov. Haslam’s executive order only relates to fuel transportation for this state of emergency and waives only the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 390 and 395 rules related to hours-of-service suspensions, and pipeline fix and fuel transportation. Fuel has now been diverted while Colonial works to get the line repaired, Laskoski said. AAA says drivers should just brace themselves for the next few days, but prices could stabilize in a week or so.
Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline estimated that the pipeline rupture near Birmingham has spilled 252,000 to 336,000 gallons of gasoline, most of which was corralled in a retention pond.
“We do have the inventory to manage it for the time being, but we’re going to be under a fair bit of pressure, and the uncertainty isn’t helpful”, said Campbell.
A leak has caused the closure of a crucial pipeline that carries gasoline to the eastern United States, a disruption that threatens to drive up prices and leave service stations without fuel to sell.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley issued an executive order Wednesday to increase the number of fuel truck deliveries and mitigate possible impacts on the state’s fuel supply. He says neighboring states like North and SC could see a larger impact than in Alabama. Those vessels, because they are required to be USA -flagged under the Jones Act, are typically more expensive than transport via pipeline.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency waived requirements this week that metro areas with air quality issues in Georgia and Tennessee use a cleaner-burning type of gasoline during the summer months.
