Colonial Pipeline
Colonial Pipeline operates the largest US refined petroleum products pipeline, transporting more than 100 million gallons daily across 5,500 miles from Gulf Coast refineries to East Coast markets. The FERC-regulated common carrier serves approximately 250 shippers and 270 connected terminals across 14 states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersAlpharetta, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Colonial Pipeline does
Colonial Pipeline Company operates the largest refined petroleum products pipeline in the United States by volume, a 5,500-mile common carrier system that transports more than 100 million gallons (approximately 2.5 million barrels) of fuel daily from Gulf Coast refineries in Texas and Louisiana to East Coast markets across 14 states. The system carries gasoline, diesel, jet fuel (including Sustainable Aviation Fuel since 2022), home heating oil, and specialized military fuels, and is directly connected to approximately 270 third-party terminals serving roughly 250 shippers including refiners, traders, wholesalers, retail marketers, airlines, and the U.S. military. Approximately 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast moves through the Colonial system, with end-customers representing more than 50 million Americans.
The underlying operational technology combines inline inspection (ILI) tools, hyperspectral aerial right-of-way imaging, multi-layered leak detection (internal, external, and data-based methods with 24/7 computer monitoring), cathodic protection, and emerging AI-driven right-of-way intelligence that fuses satellite, aerial, and ground sensor data. Colonial supplements the main pipeline with a downstream platform: Colonial Pipeline Terminals operates four owned terminals (Austell GA, Charlotte NC, Chattanooga TN, Fredericksburg VA), and the company holds interests in joint-venture and affiliate assets including Bengal Pipeline (with Shell Midstream), Energy Logistics Solutions (in-tank blending), Powder Springs Logistics (butane blending), and Transport4 (logistics information platform for nominations, schedules, and inventory).
Colonial is a private company headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, acquired by Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for approximately $9 billion in Q2 2025. Revenue is generated primarily through FERC-regulated common carrier tariffs billed to shippers based on origin and destination, supplemented by terminal throughput, system storage (tank leasing), and Intra Harbor Transfer Service fees at Linden Junction. The pricing model is transaction-based and non-discriminatory across shippers; commercial relationships are managed through a dedicated sales and commercial team. Leadership comprises President & CEO Melanie Little (joined January 2023, formerly COO of Magellan Midstream Partners) and a recently expanded C-suite including CFO Clay Miller, CLO David Gray, CCO Robert Harris, and CIO Nguyen Tran.
Colonial Pipeline firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Colonial Pipeline
- Legal name
- Colonial Pipeline Company
- Website
- https://colpipe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Colonial Pipeline operates the largest US refined petroleum products pipeline, transporting more than 100 million gallons daily across 5,500 miles from Gulf Coast refineries to East Coast markets. The FERC-regulated common carrier serves approximately 250 shippers and 270 connected terminals across 14 states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Colonial Pipeline industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Midstream Energy / Refined Petroleum Pipeline Transportation
- NAICS
- Pipeline Transportation of Refined Petroleum Products (486910)
- SIC
- Pipe Lines (No Natural Gas) (4610)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Product Refined Products (Common Carrier) Pipeline Transportation (TLAGABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refined Products Pipeline Transportation (Gasoline/Diesel/Jet) (EUALADAD), Refined Products Pipeline Terminals & Breakout Storage Operations (TLAGABAJ)
Keywords
Where Colonial Pipeline is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Alpharetta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Colonial Pipeline business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Pipeline Transportation Tariffs: Colonial Pipeline operates as a common carrier and charges shippers fees (tariffs) to transport refined petroleum products on the Colonial system. Every shipper is billed according to the same rate based on origination and destination location, regulated by FERC.
- Terminal Services: Colonial Pipeline Terminals provides throughput, storage, and distribution solutions for gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, and ethanol at four owned terminals in Southeast and Mid-Atlantic markets.
- System Storage: Short-term and long-term system storage options (tank leasing services) offered across the pipeline system for operational flexibility.
- Intra Harbor Transfer Service: Petroleum products transfer service at Linden Junction facility near New York Harbor, allowing shippers to transport products from specified terminals to Colonial-connected delivery points.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Common carrier tariff rates based on origin and destination |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Colonial Pipeline product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Colonial Pipeline operates the largest refined petroleum products pipeline by volume in the United States, transporting more than 100 million gallons of fuel daily across a 5,500-mile pipeline network spanning 14 states from Houston, Texas to the New York Harbor. As a FERC-regulated common carrier, the company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, home heating oil, and specialized military fuels. Supporting the mainline, Colonial also owns four terminals in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic providing throughput, storage, and distribution solutions.
Product overview
Colonial Pipeline operates the nation's largest refined petroleum products pipeline by volume as a unified infrastructure and logistics platform. The core offering is the 5,500-mile Colonial Pipeline System, which transports over 100 million gallons daily of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, home heating oil, and military fuels from Gulf Coast refineries to markets across 14 states. Supporting the main pipeline, Colonial Pipeline Terminals provides storage, throughput, and distribution at four owned terminals (Austell, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Fredericksburg). The company also holds ownership stakes in affiliated services including Transport4 (logistics information platform), Bengal Pipeline (joint venture), Energy Logistics Solutions (blending services), and Powder Springs Logistics (butane blending). Colonial added Sustainable Aviation Fuel transportation capability in 2022. The product portfolio functions as an integrated midstream energy logistics ecosystem rather than discrete software products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Colonial Pipeline System The nation's largest refined petroleum products pipeline by volume, transporting more than 100 million gallons of fuel daily across 5,500 miles from Houston to the New York Harbor, serving 14 states and approximately 50 million Americans. Operates as a FERC-regulated common carrier.
- Pipeline Transportation Services Common carrier pipeline transportation of refined petroleum products including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, home heating oil, and specialized military fuels, with fungible batch sequencing and product quality protection for shippers.
- System Storage Services Short-term and long-term tank leasing services providing operational flexibility to shippers connected to the Colonial system, offered where Colonial has tank space beyond operational needs.
- Intra Harbor Transfer Service Petroleum products transfer service at the Linden Junction facility near New York Harbor, allowing shippers to transport products from multiple terminals (Kinder Morgan, Buckeye, Shell) to all Colonial-connected delivery points.
- Colonial Pipeline Terminals Terminal services in Southeast and Mid-Atlantic markets providing throughput, storage, and distribution solutions for gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, and ethanol with automated blending and inventory management at four owned terminals in Austell, GA; Charlotte, NC; Chattanooga, TN; and Fredericksburg, VA.
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Transportation Capability to transport sustainable aviation fuel through the Colonial pipeline system, allowing customers to nominate jet fuel with SAF content from any origin point to any destination including airports.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% fewer GHG emissions than truck transportation for equivalent volume
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Colonial Pipeline
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Colonial Pipeline technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
Colonial Pipeline partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bengal Pipeline CompanycoreJoint venture between Colonial Pipeline and Shell Midstream. Bengal is a common carrier pipeline connecting southern Louisiana refineries to the Colonial mainlines at its Baton Rouge origin point, providing additional supply and infrastructure access.
- Energy Logistics Solutions (ELS)coreELS provides in-tank gasoline blending services at the Baton Rouge origin of Colonial Pipeline. Operations include butane and naphtha blending capabilities with pipeline, truck, and barge dock access.
- Powder Springs LogisticsminorJoint venture with Magellan Midstream Partners that operates a butane blending facility in Atlanta.
- Transport4 (T4)coreT4 is an Alpharetta, GA-based provider of pipeline-centric logistics information in which Colonial Pipeline has an ownership stake. T4's web-based application provides pipeline shippers 24/7 access to movement data, including tickets, schedules, nominations, and inventory.
- Shell Pipeline Company LPminorShell Pipeline Company LP partnered with Colonial on a new 75-mile, 24-inch refined products pipeline from Garyville to East Feliciana Parish in Louisiana in 2006. Colonial also acquired Shell's interest in Port Arthur Products Station and Shell Ex Facility (PAPS).
- U.S. Department of Transportation / PHMSAcoreColonial maintains compliance with federal regulations including DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration requirements for emergency response plans and safety standards.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreColonial's planning and mitigation efforts are in accordance with EPA guidelines. Colonial tracks Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and engages in renewable energy certificate programs.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Colonial Pipeline competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- BP (Midstream & Pipelines): BP is a major integrated energy company with significant U.S. midstream and pipeline operations serving its refining and marketing business, including refined products transportation and terminal assets. It is a broad incumbent peer to Colonial because it operates overlapping refined products logistics infrastructure as part of a broader integrated energy portfolio that includes refining, trading, and marketing.
- Energy Transfer: Energy Transfer is one of the largest and most diversified midstream energy companies in the U.S., operating pipelines, terminals, and storage for crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and refined products. It is a broad incumbent peer to Colonial because of significant overlap in refined products transportation and terminal services alongside a much larger and more diversified asset base.
- Enterprise Products Partners: Enterprise Products Partners is one of the largest publicly traded midstream energy partnerships in the U.S., with extensive NGL, crude, refined products, and petrochemical pipeline and terminal assets along the Gulf Coast. It is a broad incumbent peer to Colonial because it operates comparable refined products and crude transportation infrastructure and terminals serving overlapping Gulf Coast refining customers.
- Phillips 66: Phillips 66 is a major integrated downstream and midstream energy company that operates extensive owned and joint-venture refined products pipelines and terminals as part of a broader refining and marketing portfolio. It is a broad incumbent peer to Colonial because of its overlapping midstream pipeline and terminal operations combined with refining ownership that positions it as both supplier and shipper.
- ONEOK: ONEOK is a leading midstream energy company that processes and transports natural gas, NGLs, and refined products across the U.S. After acquiring Magellan Midstream Partners, ONEOK has substantial refined products pipeline and terminal operations comparable to Colonial. It is a broad incumbent peer because it now operates overlapping refined products logistics assets while remaining more diversified across NGLs and natural gas.
Direct peers
- Buckeye Partners: Buckeye Partners operates a major U.S. refined products pipeline system and an extensive network of terminals and storage assets, including direct airport fuel deliveries. It is a direct peer to Colonial because both transport and store gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel under common-carrier economics and serve refiner, airline, and terminal customer segments on the U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast.
- Plains All American Pipeline: Plains All American Pipeline is a major North American midstream operator with an extensive crude oil and refined products pipeline and terminal network primarily along the Gulf Coast and into the Midwest. It is a direct peer to Colonial because of significant overlap in liquid petroleum transportation services, shared refiner and trader customer base, and similar FERC-regulated tariff economics.
- Kinder Morgan: Kinder Morgan is one of the largest North American midstream operators with extensive refined products and natural gas pipeline networks, terminals, and storage assets. It is a direct peer to Colonial because both operate FERC-regulated common carrier refined products pipelines and integrated terminal businesses serving similar refiner, marketer, and trader customers across U.S. energy corridors.
- Magellan Midstream Partners: Magellan Midstream Partners operates one of the largest U.S. refined petroleum products pipeline systems along with extensive terminals and storage, including a long-haul refined products system from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest. It is a direct peer to Colonial because of highly overlapping product portfolio (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel), common-carrier pipeline economics, and similar shipper base.
- Shell Pipeline Company LP: Shell Pipeline Company LP is a subsidiary of Shell USA that owns and operates refined products and crude oil pipelines, including joint ventures with Colonial such as Bengal Pipeline. It is a direct peer to Colonial because it operates refined products pipelines, terminals, and blending assets along the Gulf Coast and shares major refiner-supplier economics with Colonial's pipeline system.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Colonial Pipeline social profiles
Digital presenceColonial Pipeline financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Colonial Pipeline leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Colonial Pipeline subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Colonial Pipeline funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Colonial Pipeline M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Colonial Pipeline
What does Colonial Pipeline do?
Colonial Pipeline operates the largest refined petroleum products pipeline by volume in the United States, transporting more than 100 million gallons of fuel daily across a 5,500-mile pipeline network spanning 14 states from Houston, Texas to the New York Harbor. As a FERC-regulated common carrier, the company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, home heating oil, and specialized military fuels. Supporting the mainline, Colonial also owns four terminals in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic providing throughput, storage, and distribution solutions.
Is Colonial Pipeline a public or private company?
Colonial Pipeline is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Colonial Pipeline founded?
Colonial Pipeline was founded in 1962. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Colonial Pipeline based?
Colonial Pipeline is headquartered in Alpharetta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Colonial Pipeline make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Pipeline Transportation Tariffs are the primary driver. The others are terminal Services, system Storage and intra Harbor Transfer Service.
Who are Colonial Pipeline's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are BP (Midstream & Pipelines), Energy Transfer, Enterprise Products Partners, Phillips 66 and ONEOK. Direct peers are Buckeye Partners, Plains All American Pipeline, Kinder Morgan, Magellan Midstream Partners and Shell Pipeline Company LP.
Does Colonial Pipeline have an API?
No public API is recorded for Colonial Pipeline.
What industry is Colonial Pipeline in?
Colonial Pipeline's product category is Midstream Energy / Refined Petroleum Pipeline Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAGABAA, Multi-Product Refined Products (Common Carrier) Pipeline Transportation, with a secondary code of EUALADAD, Refined Products Pipeline Transportation (Gasoline/Diesel/Jet). Its NAICS code is 486910 and its SIC code is 4610.