Colonial Pipeline Beats Appeal Over Gasoline-Blending Operation

Petroleum products supplier George E. Warren LLC lost its bid to revive a lawsuit against Colonial Pipeline Co. and Powder Springs Logistics over an allegedly reduced “blend margin” in transported gasoline, after a ruling by the Third Circuit.

The claims are precluded by the filed-rate doctrine, which provides that tariffs approved by an agency “cannot be enlarged by either contract or tort of the carrier.”

In this case, the governing tariff is clear that its requirements are met so long as the shipper receives gasoline that falls within the specifications defined by the tariff, “even if some of the gasoline’s ...