US Gulf coast producers are evacuating offshore platforms and terminal operators are shutting down operations as tropical storm Harvey heads for the Texas coast.
At least one refiner has shut down operations in Corpus Christi, Texas, the possible location of the storm's landfall in coming days.
Tropical storm Harvey is quickly strengthening and is forecast to be a major hurricane when it hits the Texas coast late tomorrow or early 26 August, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.
Flint Hills Resources is shutting its east and west plants at the 260,000 b/d refinery in Corpus Christi, the company said today.
Magellan Midstream Partners today shut its terminal in Corpus Christi as well as its 50,000 b/d condensate splitter. The terminal primarily stores condensate and refinery blendstocks.
All of Magellan's refined products and crude pipelines in Texas are operating normally.
NuStar Energy is making preparations to shut down its Corpus Christi terminal. "As for our other Gulf Coast facilities, we have activated our emergency response plans and will continue to monitor the storm to determine our next course of action," a company spokesman said.
Occidental said it is implementing a plan to prepare for weather-related events at its 300,000 b/d Ingleside terminal near Corpus Chrsiti, but did not specify whether the terminal is being shut.
The Port of Corpus Christi said this morning it is not completely closed. Pilots stopped bringing in vessels yesterday at 5pm ET. But the port still has vessels with orders to sail out and in some cases they are still loading or unloading, a spokeswoman for the Port of Corpus Christi said.
Terminal and pipeline operator Enterprise Products Partners is closely monitoring the situation but has no shutdowns or evacuations so far.
ConocoPhillips has evacuated non-essential personnel from the Magnolia platform that it operates in the Gulf of Mexico. The company also said its Magnolia and Eagle Ford production remain unaffected.
Anadarko has evacuated all personnel and shut in production from its offshore Boomvang, Gunnison, Lucius and Nansen facilities.
"We will continue to track Harvey and are prepared to remove additional personnel and shut in other operated facilities in the Gulf if necessary," Anadarko said.
Chevron said today it has not evacuated any offshore personnel as a result of the incoming storm but is closely monitoring the system.
BP also said normal operations continue at all BP-operated offshore facilities.
Transco, the natural gas pipeline that Williams runs from Texas to the US Atlantic coast, said yesterday it was evacuating non-essential personnel from facilities along the Texas and Louisiana coasts.
