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

Colonial Pipeline Announces Plans to Temporarily Suspend Service on December 31 to Ensure Y2K Safety

September 16, 1999

Atlanta-based Colonial Pipeline Company today announced the temporary shutdown of its 5,300-mile underground system for approximately 8-hours as the new millennium begins. Colonial will begin the temporary suspension of its shipments at 6:30 p.m. on December 31, 1999, EST and anticipates restart at approximately 2:30 a.m. on January 1, 2000.

Bill Scott, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Colonial stated, "Our decision to syspend pipeline operations for this period is based on our commitment to safe, conservative operational principles and practices. While Colonial is completely Y2K ready, the safety and reliability of our system depends on many outside electric power and communciations suppliers. An independent analysis of several options regarding pipeline operations during this period demonstrated to us that temporary suspension of service is the right thing to do."

Scott stated that Colonial is making this announcement early to communicate clearly and completely why this decision was made and what actions the company is taking. Colonial transports 80 million gallons of refined petroleum products daily, covering a service territory that reaches from Houston, Texas to New York Harbor. A combination of pre-planning for this suspension of transportation and collaboration with shipping customers should reduce or prevent any consequences and keep this a "non-event."

"Colonial is working hard to achieve operational excellence, and decision-making based on safety is our first and most important goal," stated Scott. "When we restart the pipeline on January 1, 2000, we will follow a careful, conservative and monitored start-up process that will maintain system integrity. It is important to all of us at Colonial Pipeline to begin the new millennium with our focus on continued improvements in our system operations and human performance."