Colonial Pipeline plans to restart its Line 1 on Wednesday, 12 days after a leak spilled about 336,000 gallons of gasoline in Shelby County, causing fuel shortages and price increases throughout the southeastern United States. It now operates 5,599 miles of pipelines, transporting more than 100 million gallons daily of gasoline, jet fuel, home heating oil and other hazardous liquids in 13 states and the District of Columbia, according to company filings. Gas prices in six states jumped up along with a state of emergency being declared in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
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“Fuel wholesalers and retailers report that the gas supply is gradually returning to normal, as fuel is delivered by barge and via Colonial Pipeline’s temporary work around line”.
About half of the 10 gasoline shipments to the East Coast during the period were from the U.S. Gulf, Panjiva said.
In neighboring North Carolina, Gov.
Miller was one of many people who flooded the pumping lanes at Kroger when a tanker truck pulled up to fill the tanks at the fuel center Monday around 11 a.m.
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed an executive order on Monday preventing gas stations from significantly raising their fuel prices. The company says spilled gasoline is being taken to the storage facility for storage.
Colonial Pipeline Co., based in Alpharetta, Georgia, was formed in the 1960s by oil companies to transport their product along the eastern seaboard. The average price a week ago was about $2.10. The shortages, he said were caused by a “run” on fuel.
AAA reported a gallon of regular unleaded gas Wednesday was $2.21 in the Cape Fear region – matching the national average and a penny lower than the state’s average price.
Haslam said the declaration was a precautionary measure and the area had not seen widespread unavailability of gasoline at the time.
“Colonial is in the process of executing a hydrostatic test of the segment, which is approximately 500 feet in length, to ensure its structural integrity”, according to the release. “There have been recent reports that wholesale and retail gas prices have substantially increased in some markets”, he said.
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In Roanoke, the average price is up 1 cent from Monday, also to $2.07. The company paid a $34 million EPA fine for Clean Water Act violations in 2003.
