September 21, 2016

PHMSA authorized Colonial Pipeline Company (Colonial) to construct a bypass pipeline as a temporary measure to restore service to the areas affected by a pipeline failure that occurred on September 9, 2016 in Shelby, Alabama.

The approval will allow the company to continue to service the affected areas while an excavation and pipeline inspection are completed, and does not affect the terms of the Corrective Action Order PHMSA issued on September 16, 2016.

September 16, 2016

PHMSA issued a Corrective Action Order to Colonial Pipeline Company following the Sept. 9 pipeline failure in Pelham, Alabama, that resulted in the release approximately 6,000 barrels of gasoline into a retention pond. The CAO requires Colonial to take corrective actions to protect the public, property, and the environment from potential hazards associated with the recent failure on Line #1, including mechanical and metallurgical testing and failure analysis of the failed section of pipe. The operator must also submit a Remedial Work Plan within 45 days of receipt of the final report from the metallurgical test laboratory. The pipeline remains shut down.

PHMSA is investigating the cause of the failure, any factors that contributed to the severity of the incident, and the operator's adherence to Federal pipeline safety standards. As our investigation continues, the order can be amended to direct the operator to take additional actions to address the root cause of this incident, as well as any other factors that may have contributed to the pipeline failure. If PHMSA determines the operator has violated any Federal pipeline standards, the agency can issue an enforcement action, levy civil penalties, or refer the case for criminal investigation.