Class action lawsuit filed in jet fuel pipeline leak

Upper Makefield Township, Pa. (WPHL) — More than 150 residents have joined a class action lawsuit filed on Thursday against Sunoco and Energy Transfer, the companies that own and operate the Twin Oaks Pipeline in Upper Makefield Township, Pa., months after the companies confirmed a leak in its pipeline.

Berger Montague filed the complaint on behalf of the residents in the Philadelphia Court of Common pleas. It alleges Sonoco and Energy Transfer are at fault based upon their maintenance, operation, and control of the Twin Oaks Pipeline, which resulted in a leak of jet fuel and resulting toxins, pollutants, and contaminants into the environment. The complaint also alleges that Sunoco was aware of odor complaints from residents of Upper Makefield since at least September 2023.

In January 2025, Sonoco confirmed the leak in its pipeline, which continues to operate at 80%, according to latest report by the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Sonoco and Energy Transfer is repairing the leak and are helping the town and the state in clean-up efforts. The Environmental Protection Agency ordered the companies to supply all residents in the Mt. Eyre neighborhood with bottled water and crews are installing treatment systems in more than 100 homes.

The Department of Environmental Protection opened an investigation into the leak and found multiple wells in the Mt. Eyre Manor neighborhood in Upper Makefield Township where the leak was identified tested positive for jet fuel-related contaminants. The complaint alleges that toxins that were transported through the Twin Oaks Pipeline include chemicals such as kerosene, benzene, ethylbenzene, isopropyl benzene, dichloroethane, trimethylbenzene (“TMB”), toluene, naphthalene, methyl tertiary-butyl ether (“MTBE”), and lead.

On Thursday, Sunoco and Energy transfer conducted a telecall meeting to provide updates on their progress in repairing the pipeline and cleaning-up. The companies set up a community support center at its Bucks Pump Station in Yardley, Pa. to provide additional resources to affected residents.