Working with the Communities We Serve

Landowner Relations

Aerial patrol is the only practical method of inspecting thousands of miles of right of way. Aerial surveillance allows company pilots to effectively inspect the pipeline rights of way and adjacent surface conditions.

Aerial inspection of the easements, however, can succeed only if the surface of the rights of way can be observed from the air. Trees and large shrubs, which obstruct the pilot's vision, prevent effective inspection of the rights of way. Tree roots also pose a danger to the coatings that protect pipelines from corrosion, and trees can hinder repair crew access to the pipelines. For these reasons, it is essential that Colonial regularly clear its rights of way corridors.

Aerial inspections are necessary for the safe operation of the pipeline and to ensure public safety. The federal government requires that easements be inspected 26 times a year. Colonial inspects its lines weekly, weather permitting.