One of the country’s largest oil and gas companies says it is “making good progress on restart activities” at its Baytown complex. It also announced its progress and efforts in other complexes in Texas and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
A statement obtained by Breitbart Texas from the oil company wrote:
Our initial assessment of ExxonMobil’s Baytown complex revealed the need for only minor repairs, and we are making good progress on restart activities. Timing on a return to normal operations will depend largely on the availability and condition of transportation infrastructure. We are working with the Port of Houston to expedite vessels through the Houston Ship Channel, and we are coordinating with railroads to help facilitate necessary repairs.
The ExxonMobil complex in Beaumont completed a safe, systematic shutdown after flooding in the lower part of the refinery. Rising water from the Neches River broke into the area, but the chemical plant was “unaffected” officials said. The company has also deployed emergency response teams “to provide additional environmental protections.”
The company is starting its post-Harvey assessment offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. It is inspecting the Hoover and Galveston 209 platforms. ExxonMobil officials said the systems are safe and operational and it “will begin the process of returning to normal operations.”
A subsidiary of the company, XTO Energy, ceased onshore operations before the storm because it was in the direct line of the hurricane. Crews are now determining the impact of Tropical Storm and Hurricane Harvey. XTO will bring wells on line when they can safely do so.
Breitbart Texas reported that flood waters from the tropical storm overflowed into an oil storage field near Beaumont, Texas and spilled oil onto a nearby road. “The levee for the refinery is at 10 feet,” and water has gone over it, ExxonMobil spokeswoman Ashley Alemayehu told the Beaumont Enterprise.
When this occurred on Saturday afternoon, the oil that overflowed put a “sheen” on the county-owned roadway that runs between the ExxonMobil and Arkema facilities leading to the Neches River. The company deployed emergency response teams to address the spill. The area where the chemical plants are is elevated and will remain dry, the company said.
Texas officials reported that people hoarding gasoline during the temporary fuel shortage caused by Hurrican Harvey contributed to the long lines at stations and isolated outages, Breitbart Texas reported on Saturday.
Follow complete coverage of Hurricane Harvey and Houston Floods on Breitbart Texas.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, Gab, and Facebook.
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