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
“ADEM officials say the pipeline has been shut down, but remaining gas needs to burn off.
Coleen Vansant with the Alabama Forestry Commission said the explosion has spawned three wildfires: one is currently 7 acres, one is 10 acres, and another one is ongoing at the site of the explosion. Containment lines are being built around the fires.
Residents within a three-mile radius of the explosion site have been asked to evacuate. Helena Mayor Mark Hall said it is a sparsely populated area.”
http://www.wvtm13.com/article/explosion-reported-in-mccalla/8059847
Photos and video footage:
http://abc3340.com/news/local/explosion-reported-in-helena
“…city and county leaders are saying occurred on the same Colonial Pipeline that leaked more than 300,000 gallons of gas in the area in September.
The blast site is approximately one mile west of where the leak occurred, according to Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, whose office is “closely monitoring” the situation.”
So first the pipe springs a leak and now it just goes and blows up?
Not buying it. Nobody is that inept.
I wonder which careless maintenance worker they will blame for lighting up a fatty when they were on duty.
Probably the one who got the most burnt.
“This is all Krispy’s fault! Oh, by the way, Your gas prices are going to go higher now.”
I just sent in some drone footage of this.
Thank you, Frank Face.
Your welcome.
“Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego said the Colonial subcontractors were trying to flush one of the lines. As they began to dig, that is when the explosion happened.
In addition to the injured victims, Samaniego said there’s a possibility that two workers are still missing. The heat from the blaze, he said, is hindering the search for them.
The sheriff said the flames are still reaching about 50 feet in the air.”
http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/10/reported_gas_line_explosion_se.html
“Lieutenant Russell Bedsole told the Wall Street Journal the workers were doing maintenance on the pipeline, which moves gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from Texas to the Atlantic Coast, when the explosion occurred.”
http://heavy.com/news/2016/10/colonial-pipeline-explosion-blast-live-stream-videos-photos-pictures-injuries-victims-alabama-gas/
“The pipeline runs from Houston to New York.”
http://www.wkbw.com/news/national/alabama-pipeline-explosion-injures-at-least-8
Price hike coming…
That’s a safe bet. 😉
“Gov. Robert Bentley said the explosion happened about a mile west of the spot where the pipeline burst last month. That rupture led to gasoline shortages across the South.”
http://whnt.com/2016/10/31/breaking-gas-line-explodes-in-shelby-county-south-of-birmingham/
Hey Angel! 🙂
Ain’t exactly rokit syense, is it. 🙄
LOL 😀