Colonial’s gasoline, distillate lines shut after explosion, fire in Alabama
Posted on October 31, 2016 by Angel - NYC

Reuters

Colonial Pipeline Co [COLPI.UL] shut down both of its main gasoline and distillates pipelines on Monday following an explosion and fire in Shelby County, Alabama, near the site of a gasoline spill last month.

A segment of the pipeline was undergoing maintenance on Monday afternoon when it exploded, resulting in several workers suffering serious injuries, according to the Shelby County sheriff’s office. The number of those injured is believed to be less than ten, the sheriff’s office said.

The explosion occurred near Highway 13 and River Road, the Shelby County sheriff’s department said. The fire was still burning as of 6:15 p.m EDT (2215 GMT).

Colonial said company personnel and emergency crews were responding to the incident. The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said they were aware of the incident and also had personnel en route to the site.

Colonial Pipeline experienced a spill in Shelby County on Sept. 9, which leaked between 6,000 to 8,000 barrels of gasoline. The pipeline was out of service for more than 12 days following that incident, and drove up gasoline prices at the pump in the U.S. Southeast. [nL2N1BQ18G]

That gasoline leak was the company’s biggest since 1997 and the third-largest among all products in the last two decades. [nL3N1BV370]

Colonial is a key artery that connects Gulf Coast refineries with markets across the southern and eastern United States, delivering gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined products.

U.S. gasoline futures jumped as much as 13 percent to their highest since early June at the open of the futures trading session. The prompt futures spread widened to the highest since Aug. 3.

Colonial operates two main pipelines from Houston, Texas to Greensboro, Carolina. Its gasoline line has capacity of about 1.3 million barrels per day.

The explosion occurred about a mile from any residential area, according to local media.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-pipeline-blast-alabama-idUSKBN12V2FC