Colonial Starts Biodiesel Delivery

STREATOR, Ill. (DTN) -- Colonial Pipeline said in a shipper's bulletin on Friday, March 22, that it plans to initiate its 5% biodiesel blending service in Georgia for Line 17 from Atlanta to Bainbridge effective with Cycle 16 diesel fuel shipments. Cycle 16 diesel grades begin flowing March 22.

Current product specifications for distillate Grades 61 and 63 ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel delivered to Line 17 destinations allow up to 5% blends of biodiesel. Those deliveries go to the Georgia points of Griffin, Macon, South Macon, Americus, Albany, South Albany, and Bainbridge.

"The biodiesel blending service on Line 17 is Colonials prototype biofuels blending service," Colonial said.

Biodiesel will be stored in tankage owned by TransMontaigne Partners, L.P., and then injected into diesel fuel shipments as they flow through the Colonial pipeline.

Colonial Pipeline and the Environmental Protection Agency jointly announced Monday the company filed the necessary paperwork to begin shipping biodiesel blends via pipeline to central and southern Georgia.

During February, Colonial submitted filings in support of the biodiesel-blend shipments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Their approval will clear the way for shipments to begin in late March, said Colonial Pipeline CEO Tim Felt in a Monday news release.

"We have worked diligently to provide this new service to customers interested in shipping this environmentally friendly fuel," Felt said.

"EPA supports the widespread availability of biofuels as an effective strategy to offer reliable alternatives to diesel," said Gwen Keyes Fleming, EPA regional administrator.

Colonial is the nation's largest volume transporter of refined petroleum products via pipeline, with a 5,500-mile system originating in Houston, Texas, and terminating in Linden, N.J., on the New York Harbor. Colonial transports 100 million gallons a day.

(BM/AG)

Copyright 2013 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.