April 2011 Vol. 238 No. 4

Projects

Colonial Completes Pipeline Improvements, Plans More

Colonial Pipeline announced that recent pipeline system improvements have netted an additional capacity of 24,000 bpd.

This is the first step in a series of upgrades designed to give Colonial’s customers better service and provide more fuel for consumers. The completed upgrades, along with a second set of capacity upgrades to be finished this summer, will add about 100,000 bbls to the company’s daily capacity between Greensboro, NC and the New York Harbor. This will increase Colonial’s capacity into the New York Harbor market by 14%.

Also, Colonial is proposing projects to support Gulf Coast refiners by increasing the capacity of Colonial mainlines between Houston and Greensboro, NC. These planned projects would add more than 140,000 bpd of capacity to Colonial’s southern mainlines, and would be implemented over the next 12-24 months.

The increased flow rates already achieved, as well as those planned, are primarily being accomplished through pump and motor upgrades and the use of drag-reducing agents (DRA) that improve the efficiency of product flow.

The Colonial Pipeline connects refineries primarily in the Gulf Coast with customers serving markets across the southern and eastern United States. Every day, Colonial delivers 2.3 MMbbls of refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, home heating oil and fuels for the U.S.