Argus Media Limited

09/14/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/14/2021 08:51

Colonial shut Lines 1 and 2 on Nicholas’ arrival

Colonial Pipeline shut its main gasoline and distillate lines early this morning due to power outages in the Houston area after tropical storm Nicholas' landfall along the Texas coast overnight.

Colonial shut its 1.5mn b/d gasoline-bearing Line 1 and 1.2mn b/d distillates-carrying Line 2 between Houston, Texas, and Greensboro, North Carolina, this morning as the storm made landfall at 1:30am ET near Sargent Beach, Texas with 75mph (120.7km/h) winds, storm surge and heavy rains. Nicholas briefly became a hurricane before it came ashore, with winds that knocked out power to more than 450,000 customers in the Houston area, according to utility provider CenterPoint Energy.

Lines 3 and 4, which move a combined 1.58mn b/d of products between Greensboro and Linden, New Jersey, have continued normal operations, the company said.

Colonial's 5,500-mile (8,850km) system moves fuel from the US Gulf coast to southeastern suppliers and into the New York Harbor market.

By Jason Metko