As Hurricane Beryl strengthened and approached the Texas coast near Houston, the biggest ports in Texas were forced to shut down operations and vessel traffic on Sunday.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Beryl caused widespread devastation in the Caribbean, claiming the lives of at least 11 individuals. As of now, it has been classified as a category 1 hurricane and is expected to intensify into a category 2 hurricane by the time it makes landfall on Monday.
On Sunday, Coast Guard captains set condition “Zulu” which prompted the ports of Corpus Christi, Houston, Galveston, Freeport and Texas City to close. As a result, all vessel movement and cargo operations have been restricted due to anticipated gale force winds within the next 12 hours.
The United States’ primary crude oil export hub is located in Corpus Christi, which is roughly 200 miles (322 km) away from Houston. In addition to Corpus Christi, Texas City and Freeport are also significant shipping hubs for oil and refined products along the Gulf Coast.
The closure of ports may lead to a brief pause in the export of crude, transportation of oil to refineries, and production of motor fuels at these facilities.
The Houston ship channel spans 52 miles (83 kms) and provides access to 8 public facilities and around 200 private terminals. On Sunday, transit restrictions were implemented before all traffic was halted.
According to the 11 p.m. CDT (0400 GMT) advisory from the NHC, the maximum sustained winds of Beryl have surged to approximately 75 mph (120 kmh) based on reports by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft.
Late on Sunday, the NHC stated that further reinforcement is anticipated before reaching the Texas coast.
According to PowerOutage.us, nearly 14,000 Texas customers were without power on Sunday evening. Centerpoint Energy, the power provider, stated that they were closely monitoring the storm and taking necessary precautions.
Dan Patrick, the Acting Governor of Texas, has advised individuals who are currently vacationing in coastal areas to evacuate before the storm hits.
During a meeting with officials in Austin, he emphasized the severity of the storm and urged everyone to take it seriously. He stressed the importance of being prepared for the impending weather conditions.
On Sunday, Kinder Morgan, an energy infrastructure company, announced the closure of its West Clear Lake and Dayton natural gas storage facilities, as well as its Texas City natural gas processing facility in preparation for the storm.
According to the company’s statement, they anticipate that the storm will not significantly affect their pipeline operations. Furthermore, they have ensured that all their other facilities in the path of the storm are fully operational.
Beryl’s wind storms caused certain energy facilities in Texas to either shut down or reduce their operations.
During the Beryl storm, Freeport LNG took the proactive step of shutting down its liquefaction trains 1, 2, and 3, as well as a pre-treatment facility. Following the storm, the plant operators restarted the facilities as efficiently as possible to minimize flaring, as stated in a filing with The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
In response to the recent weather event, Freeport has taken the necessary steps to ensure safety by reducing production at its liquefaction facility. The company plans to resume operations once it is deemed safe to do so.
Cheniere Energy, a producer of liquefied natural gas, has stated that its Corpus Christi facility is currently running without any disruptions. However, all nonessential personnel have been released from their duties.
According to a statement released, our Gulf Coast assets have a strong and well-established readiness plan in place for severe weather situations.
Chemours Co, a chemical manufacturer with a production facility located close to Corpus Christi, announced on Sunday that it has increased its hurricane preparedness plans. The company’s plans now include ensuring safe and adequate staffing during and after the storm, as well as securing equipment and assets in case the storm hits their site.
Enbridge Inc has activated its emergency plans and confirmed that all of its U.S. Gulf assets are up and running smoothly. The company, which is responsible for operating major crude export facilities near Corpus Christi, has taken necessary measures to ensure the safety and stability of its operations in the region.
On Sunday, Gibson Energy confirmed that all of its Gateway and Houston-based employees were safe, and that its facilities and docks were secure following the closure of the port of Corpus Christi. Additionally, the company operates an export facility in the same region.
Sources have revealed that Citgo Petroleum Corp is reducing production at its Corpus Christi refinery, which has a capacity of 165,000 barrels per day, on Saturday. The refinery will continue to operate at a minimum level while Beryl passes through the region.
Several Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms have been shut down or evacuated by oil producers like Chevron and Shell.