By Nicole Jao and Shariq Khan
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Colonial Pipeline, the largest refined products pipeline operator in the United States, said on Tuesday it was responding to a report of a potential gasoline leak in Paulding County, Georgia and that one of its mainlines was temporarily shut down.
Crews were on the scene coordinating response efforts, the company said.
The pipeline that was shut was Line 1, which transports about 1.5 million barrels of gasoline a day and runs from Houston, Texas, to Greensboro, North Carolina.
A Colonial spokesperson said the company did not have any information to share on a restart timeline.
However, gasoline traders said it is expected to be back in service later tonight.
“The timeline sounds on par with a best case outcome,” head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy Patrick De Haan said, adding it suggests a minor leak and minimal environmental mitigation.
February RBOB gasoline futures were up 0.56% to $2.1121 a gallon at 2:18 p.m. EST.
Colonial operates more than 5,500 miles (8,850 km) of pipeline and Line 1 is one of its two mainlines that connect Gulf Coast refineries with markets across the southern and eastern United States.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Paulding County Sheriff’s Office said there was no notification to 911 regarding a gas leak.
(Reporting by Shariq Khan and Nicole Jao in New York; Editing by Ros Russell, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Nia Williams)
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