Pipeline spills 300,000 gallons of diesel near New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS – A severely corroded pipeline ruptured and spilled more than 300,000 gallons of diesel fuel just outside New Orleans, according to federal records.

The spill from the 16-inch diameter line operated by Collins Pipeline Co. was discovered Dec. 27 near a levee in St. Bernard Parish, just east of New Orleans, according to documents from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

In October 2020, an inspection of the 42-year-old Meraux Pipeline revealed external corrosion along a 22foot section of pipe in the same area as the spill. But repairs were delayed and the line continued operating after a subsequent inspection indicated the corrosion was not bad enough to require work immediately under federal regulations,the pipeline agency said.

The spilled fuel contaminated soil and created a large pool of diesel in an environmentally sensitive area just a few hundred feet from the Mississippi River, the documents show.

St. Bernard Parish President Guy Mcinnis said Wednesday that he was told contaminated animals were taken to a nearby cleanup company.

An estimated 50,000 gallons of diesel were later recovered.