Colonial Pipeline adds ability to transport sustainable aviation fuel

Photo: Colonial Pipeline Co.

Colonial Pipeline announced April 18 the ability to accept customer nominations to ship sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on its system. With this change, shippers will be able to nominate jet fuel that includes SAF from any Colonial origin point to any Colonial destination—including airports—along its 5,500-mile system.

“Colonial Pipeline is excited to provide this new service to meet our customers’ evolving need for renewable fuels,” said Aaron Smith, business development manager for Colonial Pipeline. “We are ideally situated to safely and efficiently supply fuel with direct connections to seven East Coast international airports, along with transport connections to other large and mid-market airports.”

Colonial proposed changes to existing product specifications and aligned those changes with ASTM standards for aviation kerosene. The proposed new specifications were circulated to current Colonial customers and fuel producers for their valued feedback, which then helped produce the final specifications that are now in effect.

SAF is considered a drop-in fuel that can be blended up to 50 percent with conventional aviation fuel in accordance with ASTM standards. Like conventional aviation fuel, aviation fuel containing SAF can be transported via pipeline, thus enabling Colonial customers to rely on its existing transportation network for ratable delivery to demand centers the Colonial system serves.

Colonial currently delivers aviation fuel directly to seven major airports, including Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, Nashville International Airport, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, Piedmont Triad International Airport, Raleigh Durham International Airport, Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport. In addition to the airports Colonial directly serves, product moving on the Colonial system is used to serve other airports in Birmingham, Knoxville, Augusta, Greenville/Spartanburg, Richmond, Norfolk, Philadelphia and the greater New York City area. Colonial also proudly serves the U.S. military with deliveries to multiple installations along the East Coast.

Founded in 1962, Colonial Pipeline Co. connects refineries—primarily located in the Gulf Coast—with customers and markets throughout the U.S. South and East through a pipeline system that spans more than 5,500 miles. The company delivers refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, home heating oil, and fuel for the U.S. military.