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Largest East Coast Fuel Pipeline Shuts Down Operations After Cyberattack

The main pipeline carrying millions of gasoline and diesel fuel to the East Coast said it has halted all operations after being hit with a cyberattack.

Colonial Pipeline Company

Colonial Pipeline Company

Photo Credit: Instagram/ColonialPipeline

The Colonial Pipeline Company said in a statement that it learned it was the victim of a cybersecurity attack on Friday, May 7.

Colonial Pipeline is the largest refined products pipeline system in the United States. It carries about one million barrels each day of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel between the Gulf Coast and the New York Harbor area, with the ability to move about three million barrels daily.

"In response, we proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which has temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems," said the company, headquartered in Georgia, in a statement. "Upon learning of the issue, a leading, third-party cybersecurity firm was engaged, and they have already launched an investigation into the nature and scope of this incident, which is ongoing. We have contacted law enforcement and other federal agencies."

The pipeline travels about 5,500 miles through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey with branches from the pipeline also reaching Tennessee. 

Colonial Pipeline said it is "is taking steps to understand and resolve this issue and that its "primary focus is the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation. 

"This process is already underway, and we are working diligently to address this matter and to minimize disruption to our customers and those who rely on Colonial Pipeline."

This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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