Colonial Pipeline Company Restart Update

[Wingnut]

Colonial Pipeline initiated the restart of pipeline operations today at approximately 5 p.m. ET.

Following this restart, it will take several days for the product delivery supply chain to return to normal. Some markets served by Colonial Pipeline may experience, or continue to experience, intermittent service interruptions during the start-up period. Colonial will move as much gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel as is safely possible and will continue to do so until markets return to normal.

As we initiate our return to service, our primary focus remains safety. As part of this startup process,

Colonial will conduct a comprehensive series of pipeline safety assessments in compliance with all Federal pipeline safety requirements.

https://cpcyberresponse.com/

[Sled Dog]

When I was a nuclear reactor operator, we restarted systems by checking valve lineups then pulling the rods and turning on the pumps as necessary.   

How does it take so long now that we have computers to make things "better"?

Maybe society needs to rethink the CPU-In-Every-Coffee-Cup attitude?

What happens when China hits us with a major EMP and all the circuit boards are toast, without the butter?

[thackney]

How does it take so long now that we have computers to make things "better"?

Typically in oil/gas type operations, visual inspection of pumps are required before turning the equipment on.

Lots of computerized controls to go through startup sequences, keep things running, and protect with shutdown systems.

But most have learned the hard lesson of no starting rotating equipment moving flammable products without human eyes on the machine.

My facility handles Natural Gas Liquids like propane and the like.  We have removed all of the automatic start for the combustible products.  Nothing can be overridden because the wiring to PLC or DCS doesn't exist to close the motor starter contactor.  You must use a manual pushbutton located within sight of the pump.  This is a safety rule written in blood and has been the case at nearly every refinery type operation I have been at.

I will admit, many pipeline use remote starts but it is now common to have IP cameras and still a manual turn on from a remote location.

[thackney]

Also the pipeline delivers to the truck loading terminal.  It is going to take a couple fleets of additional trucks to get gasoline and diesel quickly to all of the retail service stations already empty.

[mystery-ak]

Colonial Pipeline shutdown: Expect gas shortages to go away by Memorial Day, expert says
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/05/12/colonial-pipeline-hack-shutdown-gas-outages-refuel/5065013001/

[thackney]

...While the pipeline’s automated controls are shut down, company operators are pushing buttons and valves to move fuels from one pumping station to the next, 50 to 75 miles away. It is a laborious process and has resulted in slower movement than usual.

Tanker trucks are moving fuel in a 12-hour trip from Houston to Atlanta. Since the largest tanker trucks hold only 250 barrels, it would take roughly 1,000 trucks to fill all of Georgia’s filling stations....

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/12/business/energy-environment/pipeline-shutdown-latest-news.html

[mystery-ak]

Report: Colonial Pipeline Paid Ransom and Biden Team Has Been Buffaloing Us for Days

excerpt;

Now Bloomberg is reporting that Colonial paid nearly $5 million to the hackers who are believed to be connected to Dark Side located in Russia or Eastern Europe, “according to two people familiar with the transaction.”

Not only that, the report is they paid within hours of the attack in cryptocurrency. “A third person familiar with the situation said U.S. government officials are aware that Colonial made the payment.” Oh. So when that question was asked of Neuberger, she already knew they paid the ransom, if this report is correct. But she just wasn’t saying.

According to Bloomberg, the Washington Post and Reuters apparently got it completely wrong, both reporting that the company wasn’t going to pay a ransom, according to “anonymous sources.”

So exactly what role did the Biden team play in this? And why did they buffalo us on this for days? If the ransom was paid within hours, that means it was paid sometime Friday or Saturday. It’s now Thursday when we’re finally getting the facts, and those facts aren’t coming from the Biden people.

Yes, you can “get it under control,” Joe Biden, if you completely cave and pay ransom. What happened to that concept of not negotiating with terrorists/people holding you up, because when they know it works, they’re going to do more of it?

But recall, the Obama administration had no issue with paying a ransom to Iran. So perhaps Biden wants to carry on in that inglorious tradition. In which case, expect more such attacks.

https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2021/05/13/report-colonial-pipeline-paid-ransom-and-biden-team-has-been-buffaloing-us-for-days-n379542

[GrouchoTex]

Typically in oil/gas type operations, visual inspection of pumps are required before turning the equipment on.

Lots of computerized controls to go through startup sequences, keep things running, and protect with shutdown systems.

But most have learned the hard lesson of no starting rotating equipment moving flammable products without human eyes on the machine.

My facility handles Natural Gas Liquids like propane and the like.  We have removed all of the automatic start for the combustible products.  Nothing can be overridden because the wiring to PLC or DCS doesn't exist to close the motor starter contactor.  You must use a manual pushbutton located within sight of the pump.  This is a safety rule written in blood and has been the case at nearly every refinery type operation I have been at.

I will admit, many pipeline use remote starts but it is now common to have IP cameras and still a manual turn on from a remote location.

I would think the the compressor stations would have to go through the decompression phase before start up, then ramp back up, unless they thought of that already while they were down.
But, could they do this, if their IT systems were down, and connected to these compressor stations?
I don't know.

[thackney]

I would think the the compressor stations would have to go through the decompression phase before start up, then ramp back up, unless they thought of that already while they were down.
But, could they do this, if their IT systems were down, and connected to these compressor stations?
I don't know.

Typically that is not required.  But usually the compressor starts with the Bypass/Surge Valve open and after up to speed closes separating the suction from the discharge allowing pressure to build up on the discharge side.

These are pumps station but have similar equipment and configurations.

[Wingnut]

If everyone doesn't drive for 2 weeks we can flatten the curve.
 

[verga]

Typically in oil/gas type operations, visual inspection of pumps are required before turning the equipment on.

Lots of computerized controls to go through startup sequences, keep things running, and protect with shutdown systems.

But most have learned the hard lesson of no starting rotating equipment moving flammable products without human eyes on the machine.

My facility handles Natural Gas Liquids like propane and the like.  We have removed all of the automatic start for the combustible products.  Nothing can be overridden because the wiring to PLC or DCS doesn't exist to close the motor starter contactor.  You must use a manual pushbutton located within sight of the pump.  This is a safety rule written in blood and has been the case at nearly every refinery type operation I have been at.

I will admit, many pipeline use remote starts but it is now common to have IP cameras and still a manual turn on from a remote location.

Sounds like "best" practices to me. Have eyes on anything that can go boom.

[thackney]

Sounds like "best" practices to me. Have eyes on anything that can go boom.

Sadly, it was a lesson learned the hard way about the limits of automation.  Lots of lube oil leaks that became fires, that damaged valves and seals, that made more flammable leaks, that grew really big until it was noticed.

[verga]

If everyone doesn't drive for 2 weeks we can flatten the curve.
 

Can we get a temporary emojicon to flip off wingnut. I promise I will only use it in extreme situations.

[Sled Dog]

Typically that is not required.  But usually the compressor starts with the Bypass/Surge Valve open and after up to speed closes separating the suction from the discharge allowing pressure to build up on the discharge side.

These are pumps station but have similar equipment and configurations.

But we are talking about gasoline and diesel fuel here, not natural gas or propane.

Shouldn't be much needed in the way of compression to move gasoline and diesel, eh?   I mean, there might be some poorly designed regions that permit the fluid to go below saturation pressure, but pumping a solid fluid shouldn't require more than manning the proper vent locations when the pumps start to eliminate trapped vapors.

And why doesn't the company have a clean back up OS to upload, rather than caving into terrorists?   

We have lots and lots of questions the Rodents aren't going to want to answer, I guessing.

I mean, they stole the watch, they claimed it was their watch, before witnesses, and now they're not going to like it that people are going to demand answers for such a monumental screwup happening on "their" watch.

[GtHawk]

If everyone doesn't drive for 2 weeks we can flatten the curve.
 

Now you've done it! Next thing you know someone will tell that to Buttjigger and he will be all over the crapnewsnetwork telling that to everybody.

[thackney]

But we are talking about gasoline and diesel fuel here, not natural gas or propane.

The poster asked about compressors so I answered.  I also said this used pumps.

By the way, propane is moved through pipeline with pumps, not compressors.  It is kept under pressure in the liquid state.  The facility I work in handles all natural gas liquids including propane.  From the raw y-grade liquids coming in to the products like propane going out, it all remains in liquid state except for the natural gas released from the defractionation of the Y-grade coming in.

Shouldn't be much needed in the way of compression to move gasoline and diesel, eh?   I mean, there might be some poorly designed regions that permit the fluid to go below saturation pressure, but pumping a solid fluid shouldn't require more than manning the proper vent locations when the pumps start to eliminate trapped vapors.

Vapors are not typically an issue in starting up a shutdown but still pressurized system.  Pipe, vessel and pump systems are typically not depressurized except to perform maintenance where lines are opened up.

And why doesn't the company have a clean back up OS to upload, rather than caving into terrorists?

I don't think this was something that clean, but I widespread infection that got into many systems before the encryption was engaged.  Of course the company is releasing very little details, so I am not sure.

We have lots and lots of questions the Rodents aren't going to want to answer, I guessing.

I mean, they stole the watch, they claimed it was their watch, before witnesses, and now they're not going to like it that people are going to demand answers for such a monumental screwup happening on "their" watch.

This is not a government run pipeline.  But I suspect it will have far more governmental regulations coming out of the event, along with all the other related pipelines.  Biden's executive orders on the mater have already started.

[GrouchoTex]

Typically that is not required.  But usually the compressor starts with the Bypass/Surge Valve open and after up to speed closes separating the suction from the discharge allowing pressure to build up on the discharge side.

These are pumps station but have similar equipment and configurations.

@thackney

Make sense.

(I should know this, we've make the darn things, and I have been on the compressor parts side of things for 39 years now).

Been a long week.....

[mystery-ak]

Colonial Pipeline says it has restored full service
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/553441-colonial-says-pipeline-has-restored-full-service

[XenaLee]

Colonial Pipeline says it has restored full service
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/553441-colonial-says-pipeline-has-restored-full-service

Oh noes!!!   Does this mean they can't raise the price of gas to $5/gal yet?

[Sled Dog]

The poster asked about compressors so I answered.  I also said this used pumps.

By the way, propane is moved through pipeline with pumps, not compressors.  It is kept under pressure in the liquid state.  The facility I work in handles all natural gas liquids including propane.  From the raw y-grade liquids coming in to the products like propane going out, it all remains in liquid state except for the natural gas released from the defractionation of the Y-grade coming in.

Vapors are not typically an issue in starting up a shutdown but still pressurized system.  Pipe, vessel and pump systems are typically not depressurized except to perform maintenance where lines are opened up.

I don't think this was something that clean, but I widespread infection that got into many systems before the encryption was engaged.  Of course the company is releasing very little details, so I am not sure.

This is not a government run pipeline.  But I suspect it will have far more governmental regulations coming out of the event, along with all the other related pipelines.  Biden's executive orders on the mater have already started.

Thank you for your professional expertise.   

On that last bit, let me clarify.   It does not matter if Colonial is a private enterprise or not.  If something major happens during a Republican administration, a 911 or an Enron crash or whatever, it doesn't matter that the government had nothing to do with it...it's "Bush's Fault" or "Trump's Fault", to name the last three GOP presidents. 

However, NOTHING is ever "Obama's Fault" or "Clinton's Fault" or even "Carter's Fault", to name the last three disasters, and this pipeline thing, no matter what the facts of the case are, is most certainly going to become "Trump's Fault".   That's guaranteed and none of the facts of the case matter.

And the coming EO's soon to emerge from Obama's Third Term are not going to do anything to enhance the safety of the American pipeline infrastructure.  They're going to serve to create more strangling regulation to increase the difficulty of not only constructing new pipelines but of maintaining existing systems.  Because their goal is to destroy America's energy infrastructure.

The goal of socialism is to seize control of everything and run it as a government agency, and if that is not possible, to kill it.

[Sled Dog]

Oh noes!!!   Does this mean they can't raise the price of gas to $5/gal yet?

You mean it hasn't got there yet?

Rule of thumb for fuel prices is 14.   If it takes one day for a gas price to rise, it takes 14 for it to go back down.

They'll have more than enough gas within a week.   It will take three months for prices to come to "normal".