A major arterial gasoline pipeline damaged in an explosion on Monday, which killed one and severely injured five others, should reopen less than a week after the explosion. Four people remain hospitalized.
Line 1, the damaged pipeline that remains closed on Friday, should be repaired and flowing by Sunday, according to the parent company Colonial Pipeline. Despite the projection, Colonial said they have a team on site constantly reassessing the timeline for reopening.
The closure of the pipeline because of the explosion — the second time the arterial pipeline has been closed in the last two months — creates the possibility for more gasoline shortages across the Southeast and here in Auburn, and prices are expected to rise.
Gov. Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency in Alabama on Tuesday, along with the governors of Georgia and North Carolina who declared states of emergency in their own states.
Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina are the three states projected to feel the deepest pain at the pump following the closure of the pipeline, which carries more than a third of the East Coast's fuel, supplying needed gasoline to millions in the Southeast and up the Atlantic Coast.
The state of emergency eases regulations on commercial truck drivers who transport motor fuel in an effort to mitigate the forecast spike in gasoline prices. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also lifted federal requirements under the Clean Air Act.
The major pipeline caught fire and exploded Monday afternoon nearly 35 miles south of Birmingham in Shelby County after a nine-man contract crew struck the line with a trackhoe they were operating to work on the pipeline.
They were working on repairs related to September's pipeline leak.
Gas prices rose juristically across the state following the September break, and stations in Auburn ran dry or raised their prices nearly 20 cents per gallon over several days following the detection of the leak last month.
The September leak also prompted the governor to issue a state of emergency.
Colonial Pipeline, the owner, has estimated as much as 336,000 gallons, or 8,000 barrels, of fuel leaked before the pipeline was closed down in September. A reroute was built and the pipeline went back into service later that month.
As of Thursday night, a small fire continued to burn in order to eliminate any remaining fuel with supervision by officials. Colonial has said not environmental impacts have been observed along nearby waterways or drainage areas.
Analysts from gas-price-tracking website GasBuddy have said the severity of price increases will depend on the longevity of the closure.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
