Colonial Pipeline halts gasoline deliveries due to Hurricane Ida

Colonial Pipeline Co, the largest petroleum products pipeline in the United States, said on Sunday it would temporarily halt fuel deliveries from Houston to Greensboro, North Carolina, due to Hurricane Ida. The pipeline operator, which carries nearly half the fuel consumed along the U.S. East Coast, said supplies would continue to be available at its terminals throughout the Southeast. It expects to resume full service when it is safe to do so, it said in a note to shippers.

Colonial suffered a crippling cyberattack earlier this year that disrupted fuel supplies for almost a week, leaving thousands of gas stations in the Southeast without fuel and prompting airlines to reroute planes to get jet fuel. 29dk2902l

Hurricane Ida prompted U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil operators to shut in some 95% of crude production on Sunday, while refineries that produce gasoline and jet fuel along the Gulf Coast are shutting plants or reducing production due to the storm.

Phillips 66 shut its Alliance plant in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, while Exxon Mobil Corp cut production at its Baton Rouge, Louisiana, refinery on Saturday.

(Reporting by Liz Hampton in Denver; Editing by Peter Cooney)