Colonial Pipeline Line 1 back in service

Published 6:46 pm Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Pictured is a portion of the bypass pipe that helped restart Line 1 on Sept. 21. (Contributed)

Pictured is a portion of the bypass pipe that helped restart Line 1 on Sept. 21. (Contributed)

By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

After being out of service since Sept. 9, Colonial Pipeline has successfully restarted Line 1 the evening of Sept. 21, according to a recent update from the company.

After successfully completing the construction, fabrication and positioning of a 500-foot bypass segment on its Line 1 pipeline on Sept. 20, a successful hydrostatic test was also done to confirm the “structural integrity and completed the tie-in of the bypass segment to Line 1,” according to Colonial.

Although the restart of Line 1 is now complete, the company urges that now that the line has restarted, it will still take several days for the fuel delivery supply chain to return to normal.

Colonial Pipeline warns that markets served by Colonial Pipeline may experience, or continue to experience, intermittent service interruptions although the company continues to move as much gasoline, diesel and jet fuel as possible and will continue to do so until markets return to normal.

Colonial has been working around-the-clock in recent days to successfully restart Line 1 and has used more than 800 personnel on site to assist in the restart and remediation efforts.

“Throughout this process, nearly 100 federal, state and local officials have also been on site, working alongside Colonial Pipeline to assure safe operations. Numerous pieces of equipment – including but not limited more than 6,000 feet of boom, 60 pieces of heavy equipment, 15 industrial pumps, 50 vacuum trucks, 31 storage tanks, five cranes, and 400 vehicles – have also been used for repair and remediation efforts and will continue to assist efforts in upcoming days.”