Company aims to restart gasoline pipeline Wednesday evening

Information released by Colonial Pipeline based in Alabama says a 500-foot bypass line that will bring the operation back to full strength passed structural integrity tests and the system will be back online Wednesday evening.

The Colonial Pipeline in Shelby County is expected to reopen today after a 336,000 gallon fuel leak.

Some stations in the Knoxville area continue to stay dry or are experiencing low levels due to the prolonged repairs to the pipeline.

According to forms, the company provided to Department of Transportation, Colonial has had 178 incidents between 2006 and August 2016. Usually running at full capacity, it provides almost 40 percent of the Southeast and East Coast region’s gasoline.

During those incidents, just over 4,500 barrels of gasoline spilled.

The company paid $381,000 in penalties for violating safety rules during the same period.

This leak is the largest Colonial has had in the last 10 years. However, the American Petroleum Institute has said retrofitting lines with remote-controlled valves could cost up to $1.5 million per device.

AAA reported a gallon of regular unleaded gas Wednesday was $2.21 in the Cape Fear region – matching the national average and a penny lower than the state’s average price. South Carolina’s regular gas rose almost 4 cents from Monday to Tuesday, and almost 18 cents from a week ago.

AAA reports Tuesday that Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia also saw prices climb since Monday. The retention pond on the left is where the gasoline has been contained.

‘We appreciate the rapid response of the fuel industry and government to the pipeline disruption, ‘ said LeRoy.