Colonial Pipeline’s Response to
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Steve Jacobs
Vice President, Operations
Colonial Pipeline Company
November 2, 2005
Colonial Pipeline Profile
• 5,519
5,519 mile
mile system
system from
from Houston
Houston to
to New
New
York
York Harbor;
Harbor; operating
operating since
since 1963
1963
• Delivers
Delivers more
more than
than 2.4
2.4 million
million barrels/day
barrels/day
petroleum
petroleum products
products from
from approximately
approximately
30
30 refineries
refineries to
to more
more than
than 250
250 terminals
terminals
• 20
20 percent
percent of
of all
all U.S.
U.S.
liquid
liquid product
product
delivered
delivered by
by
pipeline
pipeline are
are
handled
handled
by
by Colonial
Colonial
1
Hurricane Katrina Impact
• Knocked
Knocked out
out power
power to
to 77 Colonial
Colonial pump
pump
stations
stations in
in Mississippi
Mississippi and
and Louisiana
Louisiana
• Colonial’s
Colonial’s two
two mainlines
mainlines were
were fully
fully
shutdown
shutdown for
for 55
55 hours
hours
• Restarted
Restarted at
at partial
partial capacity
capacity by
by installing
installing
temporary
temporary power
power -- 19
19 diesel
diesel generators
generators
from
from 99 states
states
• Added
Added incremental
incremental capacity
capacity over
over aa
9-day
9-day period
period until
until full
full commercial
commercial
electrical
electrical power
power was
was restored
restored
Affected Area
Hurricane Rita Impact
• Knocked
Knocked out
out power
power to
to 55 pump
pump
stations
stations in
in Texas
Texas and
and Louisiana
Louisiana
• Two
Two mainlines
mainlines were
were fully
fully shutdown
shutdown
for
for 48
48 hours
hours
• Restarted
Restarted at
at partial
partial capacity
capacity by
by
installing
installing 15
15 diesel
diesel generators
generators from
from
99 states
states
• Added
Added incremental
incremental capacity
capacity over
over aa
19-day
19-day period
period until
until full
full commercial
commercial
electrical
electrical power
power was
was restored
restored
Affected Area
2
Colonial System Capacity Impact
% Mainline Capacity Utilized
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%
Katrina
Rita
20%
September
August
25
20
15
10
5
30
25
20
15
10
5
31
26
21
16
11
6
1
0%
October
Colonial System Capacity Impact
Supply
Constrained
% Mainline Capacity Utilized
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%
Katrina
Rita
20%
August
September
25
20
15
10
5
30
25
20
15
10
5
31
26
21
16
11
6
1
0%
October
3
Hurricane Preparedness Plan
Set in Motion Prior to Landfall
Assets
• Began reviewing hurricane emergency plans with personnel in
targeted region and Atlanta headquarters 5 days before landfall
• Secured tanks and facilities
– Slowed pipelines prior to the storm
– Ensured specific level of product in tankage
– Dispatched satellite phones in anticipation of losses to normal
communication
People
• Gathered contact information for all area employees
• Evacuated employees in MS and LA just prior to landfall
• Following landfall, all employees were contacted to confirm their
safety; then maintained contact as they returned home and reported
to work locations
Hurricane Rage
4
Aerial View of Downed
Transmission Towers
Wind Damage, Flooding
at Colonial Facilities
5
Incident Management:
Baton Rouge, LA and Alpharetta, GA
Crisis Management Team – Headquarters
Incident Command – Onsite
Challenging Working Conditions
6
Teamwork & Coordination
Installing Distributed Generation
7
Successful Generator Installation
With
With NO
NO
Safety
Safety
Incidents
Incidents …
…
Lessons Learned:
Industry and Colonial
Commercial Power Reliability
• Excellent response by most primary power suppliers; however, some
utilities do represent risk to power reliability
• Colonial is evaluating redundant power supply options
Communications
• Communication was critical to manage Colonial’s response effort
• Without land line and cell service, satellite phones provided good
coverage initially; however, the network became quickly
oversubscribed as emergency responders flocked to the area
Federal Relations
• Communication with federal agencies was critical to enable vital
support in terms of waivers and escorts for generator transportation
• More clearly defined contact points within the federal government
made Rita response easier than Katrina response (far fewer duplicate
requests and clearer channel to contact government)
8
Lessons Learned:
Industry and Colonial
Humanitarian Assistance
•
Providing support to employees and their families first enabled them to then
focus on Colonial restoration of service without distraction
Physical Security and Access
•
•
Colonial hired private security for facilities and to serve as escorts for
employees traveling to and from facilities.
DOT assisted Colonial with providing escorts for generators as they traveled
across the country
Aerial Reconnaissance
•
•
Colonial contracted charter aerial patrol to assess damage to facilities and
stage repairs
Some other operators reported difficulty getting clearance to conduct similar
flyovers; would be helpful if the FAA could determine priorities and inform
companies of those priorities
Media Coverage
•
Extensive media coverage created a high profile for the pipeline industry;
This required focus on accurate, frequent, and proactive communication with
regulators, customers, and the media
“Look for solutions to constraints
versus constraints to solutions.”
9