Hurricane Beryl’s approach towards the Texas coast near Houston prompted the closure of operations and vessel traffic in the state’s biggest ports on Sunday.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Beryl, the tropical storm that wreaked havoc in the Caribbean, resulting in the loss of 11 lives, has now escalated into a category 1 hurricane. The NHC further predicts that the hurricane may strengthen to a category 2 before it makes landfall on Monday.
On Sunday, the Coast Guard captains set the condition “Zulu” which led to the closure of ports in Corpus Christi, Houston, Galveston, Freeport, and Texas City. As a result, all vessel movement and cargo operations have been restricted due to the anticipated gale force winds within 12 hours.
Located approximately 200 miles (322 km) from Houston, Corpus Christi stands as the leading crude oil export hub in the United States. On the U.S. Gulf Coast, Texas City and Freeport also serve as significant shipping hubs for both oil and refined products.
The closure of ports may temporarily stop the exportation of crude oil, as well as the transportation of oil to refineries, and the production of motor fuels from those facilities.
The Houston ship channel spans 52 miles (83 kms) and provides entry to 8 public facilities and approximately 200 private terminals. On Sunday, transit limitations were enforced before all traffic was ultimately suspended.
According to the 11 p.m. CDT (0400 GMT) advisory by NHC, the maximum sustained winds of Beryl have surged to nearly 75 mph (120 kmh). This information was derived from the reports of an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft.
Late Sunday, the NHC announced that further strengthening is anticipated before reaching the Texas coast.
As of Sunday evening, around 14,000 Texas customers were reported to have lost their electricity, as per PowerOutage.us. Centerpoint Energy, the power provider, is keeping a close eye on the storm and taking necessary precautions.
Dan Patrick, the Acting Governor of Texas, has urged vacationers in coastal areas to evacuate before the arrival of the storm.
During a meeting with officials in Austin, he emphasized the severity of the storm and urged people to take it seriously and prepare themselves accordingly.
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On Sunday, Kinder Morgan, an energy infrastructure company, took precautions and closed down its West Clear Lake and Dayton natural gas storage facilities, as well as its Texas City natural gas processing facility, in anticipation of the storm.
According to the company, the impact of the storm on their pipeline operations is expected to be minimal. Fortunately, all of their other facilities in the path of the storm are still operational.
The recent wind storms associated with Beryl have caused certain energy facilities in Texas to either shut down or operate at a slower pace.
According to a recent filing with The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Freeport LNG decided to shut down its liquefaction trains 1, 2, and 3, along with a pre-treatment facility, as a proactive measure to minimize the impacts of Beryl. However, the plant operators swiftly restarted these facilities in an efficient manner to reduce flaring.
On Sunday, Freeport announced that it had reduced its production at the liquefaction facility due to the weather event. However, they have plans to resume operations as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.
Cheniere Energy, a producer of liquefied natural gas, announced on Sunday that its Corpus Christi facility remains operational without any disruptions. However, the company has released all nonessential personnel as a precautionary measure.
In a recent statement, it was asserted that the Gulf Coast assets have a strong and demonstrated readiness for severe weather.
Chemours Co, a chemical manufacturing company with a production facility located near Corpus Christi, has taken necessary measures to prepare for the hurricane. In response to the impending storm, the company has escalated its hurricane preparedness plans to ensure safe and adequate staffing during and after the storm. Additionally, the company is taking steps to secure their equipment and assets in the event that the storm makes landfall near their site.
Enbridge Inc confirmed that their crude export facilities near Corpus Christi are fully operational and stated that emergency plans have been activated.
On Sunday, Gibson Energy confirmed the safety of all its Gateway and Houston based employees, as well as the security of its facilities and docks, following the closure of the port of Corpus Christi. The company also operates an export facility in the vicinity.
Sources have reported that Citgo Petroleum Corp is reducing production levels at its Corpus Christi refinery, which has a capacity of 165,000 barrels per day. The company’s strategy is to maintain minimal operations while Beryl passes through the region.
Several oil producers, including Shell and Chevron, have taken the necessary precautions to protect their offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico by shutting down production and evacuating personnel.
