FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For further information, call: Susan Castiglione, Senior Manager, Corporate & Public Affairs, (678) 762-2211

Colonial Pipeline Responds to Mullins Attorneys

March 26, 1998

ATLANTA, Ga.--Colonial Pipeline today responded to questions about employees on duty at the company's Pipeline Control Center in Atlanta the night of the June 1996 Reedy River accident in Greenville County, S.C.

"We are limited in commenting on pending litigation, and have a responsibility to protect the rights to privacy of our employees," company spokesman Noel Griese said. "We do state emphatically that we are cooperating with requests for information from the attorneys representing Reedy River plaintiffs, and following all orders of the judge hearing the case."

"Colonial conducted a thorough internal investigation of all factors leading up to the accident," he continued. "That included drug testing of the controller on duty in accord with federal regulations. These tests were administered immediaately following the accident. All test conducted were negative."

He said that Colonial's responsibility to protect the privacy rights of employees plus the constraints of pending litigation precluded any further comment by the company.

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