Colonial Repeat Winner Of Pipeline Industry’s Safety Award

DALLAS, Texas — Colonial Pipeline has been awarded the pipeline industry’s top honor for protecting the safety of its employees and for protecting the environment, a feat which drew praise for the company’s ​“remarkable consistency … and constant improvement.” 

This marks the second year in a row the Atlanta-based Colonial will receive the Distinguished Environmental and Safety Award from the American Petroleum Institute. The award is given to the company owning the best worker safety and environmental record and which has done the best job of enhancing safety of the public and reaching out to the community. 

At the API’s Pipeline Conference in Dallas, it was announced that Colonial will receive the award for the best environmental performance by a pipeline based on its release record. The company also will be recognized for its effective performance related to the prevention of job-related safety failures; for having the safest driving record among larger pipeline companies; and for overall improvements in safety performance. 

Tim Felt, Chairman of the API Pipeline Conference, praised Colonial’s ​“remarkable consistency” in repeating as the nation’s most distinguished pipeline in both safety and environmental protection. ​“It is a dramatic illustration of dedication to the principles of constant improvement,” Felt said. 

Dave Lemmon, Colonial’s president and chief executive, praised the efforts of Colonial employees who have embraced the goals of safety and excellence in operations as their own. 

“We deeply respect and appreciate Colonial employees whose personal commitment to safety and the environment made this accomplishment possible,” Lemmon said. ​“Their dedication is driving us ever closer to our goal of spill-free, error-free operations. Ultimately, the industry’s ever-growing commitment to these same goals will benefit all we serve.” 

Lemmon said all pipeline companies should be proud of the industry’s commitment to safe, environmentally sound operations. ​“We fully understand and accept our responsibility to the public,” Lemmon said. ​“Citizens expect us to deliver liquid fuels to market efficiently, safely and without harming the environment.” 

Colonial’s five-year spill record reflects the company’s steadily improving performance. For 2000 and 2001 combined, Colonial had one spill that met the U.S. Department of Transportation’s minimum volume reporting requirement. Colonial has not experienced a lost workday due to a safety incident in more than 3 million hours worked. 

“We have focused on training our workforce and equipping our employees with the processes and procedures they need to operate at the level of excellence that the public, our owners and our regulators expect of us,” said Bill Scott, Colonial’s Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. 

“Even as we proudly accept the Distinguished Environmental and Safety Award for the second year in a row, we are challenging ourselves and the pipeline industry to sustain a level of performance that makes error-free, spill-free operations a reality.” 

Lemmon, Scott and other Colonail representatives were to be presented the awards at the API Pipeline Conference in Dallas on Wednesday, April 10. 

Colonial Pipeline consists of 5,519 miles of pipeline, extending from Houston and other Gulf Coast refining centers to markets throughout the South and East Coast. The pipeline runs north to Linden, N.J., ending at the New York harbor. 

Colonial transports gasoline, heating oil, jet fuel, defense fuels and other refined petroleum products. Founded in 1962, Colonial today delivers 95 million gallons of product per day. That represents approximately 20% of all liquid fuel delivered in the U.S.