Oil, LPG tankers remain stuck by Houston spill
Dozens of ships remain in limbo along the Houston Ship Channel for a third consecutive day as the US Coast Guard continues to clean a chemical spill from Intercontinental Terminals' (ITC) storage facility in Deer Park, Texas.
The closure of a section of the waterway is preventing the passage of 62 vessels — 31 trying to come into the port and 31 trying to depart — including oil tankers, LPG tankers, and dry bulkers, the Coast Guard told Argus today.
Included in that group are seven oil tankers: the Eagle San Juan, Stolt Effort, Stolt Teal, Bow Performer, Sea Ruby, and the Silver Rotterdam; and three LPG tankers: Legend Prosperity, Albert, and Sumire Gas, according to Argus vessel tracking. These vessels are located to the west of the spill, near Tucker's Bayou.
A section of the ship channel from Tucker's Bayou to light 116 has been closed since 22 March, when a mix of chemicals and fire retarding foam spilled into the water when a dike surrounding storage tanks that had been burning earlier in the week gave way. A spill cleanup effort is underway using dozens of ships.
Vessel traffic has begun to loosen up slightly today. One ship has moved through the spill area inbound today, while another has been boarded inbound, according to shipping agency Moran Shipping. Another vessel sailed outbound, passed the spill area, and headed to a decontamination berth. By around 3:30pm ET ships with freshwater drafts under 34ft will start moving outbound, but will be inspected for contamination before being allowed to continue, according to Moran.
Oil facilities inside the spill area include Houston Fuel Oil, Jacintoport, Vopak, and ITC. The Houston Pilots plan to prioritize outbound sailings from the port, once ships are deemed able to move through the spill area without contamination, said Moran.
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First TMX cargo booked on Aframax to China
First TMX cargo booked on Aframax to China
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Canada’s TMX awaits regulator OK on eve of service
Canada’s TMX awaits regulator OK on eve of service
Calgary, 30 April (Argus) — Regulatory approvals needed for the 590,000 b/d Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) crude pipeline in western Canada are coming down to the wire on the eve of entering commercial service. The major crude pipeline last week maintained its plan to start commercial operations on 1 May, but three filings remain under assessment by the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) with less than 24 hours to go. Federally-owned Trans Mountain requires all sections, called spreads, of the pipeline to receive regulatory blessing before the line can be put into service. Outstanding are applications pertaining to Spread 5B Part 3, which runs from kilometer post 1064 to 1067, according to CER's website. The segment is near Hope, British Columbia, about 140 kilometers (87 miles) east of the line's terminus in Burnaby. The three applications concern piping, valves and other components at two pipeline inspection gauge (pig) traps and the mainline pipe between the two traps. The traps were added for safety assurance when the operator was allowed by CER to use a smaller diameter pipe as part of the Mountain 3 deviation. Mountain 3 was the last segment of the pipeline to be constructed because of delays relating to difficult terrain while tunneling. TMX will nearly triple the existing 300,000 b/d Trans Mountain system that connects oil-rich Alberta to the docks in Burnaby, British Columbia. Importantly, the line will provide Canadian oil sands producers with a significant export outlet without having to first go through the US. The "golden weld" marking the end of construction occurred on 11 April, according to Trans Mountain. A group of shippers last week expressed concern that TMX would not be ready for commercial service by 1 May. Spreads 6, 7A and 7B stretching from kilometer post 1075 to 1180 were approved earlier in the week, bringing the total number of approvals up to 39. The expansion was first conceived more than a decade ago with the intention of being operational by late-2017, but that date slipped amid cost overruns and repeated delays. By Brett Holmes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US crude output rebounds by 4.6pc in February: EIA
US crude output rebounds by 4.6pc in February: EIA
Calgary, 30 April (Argus) — US crude output rebounded by 4.6pc in February after freezing temperatures in the prior month took production offline in the three largest producing states. Output averaged 13.15mn b/d in February, up by 578,000 b/d from January, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said today in its Petroleum Supply Monthly report. February's production was up by 622,000 b/d from February 2023 but remained short of the 13.3mn b/d record high set in November 2023. North Dakota was hit particularly hard by winter storms in January, which temporarily knocked as much as 700,000 b/d of production offline. The country's third-largest producing state pumped out 1.29mn b/d during February, up by 173,000 b/d from January and 159,000 b/d higher than in February 2023. About 86pc of North Dakota's production was 40.1°API or higher, according to the EIA. Texas, home to more than 40pc of the country's crude production, pumped out 5.55mn b/d in February. This was up by 172,000 b/d from January and 242,000 b/d higher than February 2023. New Mexico, which shares the prolific Permian basin with Texas, also boosted its output in February with 1.98mn b/d of production. This was up by 120,000 b/d from January and up by 183,000 b/d from February 2023. Similar to North Dakota, about 91pc of crude produced in New Mexico was 40.1°API or higher, while in Texas about 55pc of output fell into that category. About 44pc of all crude produced in Texas fell into the relatively heavier 30.1-40°API range. US output in the Gulf of Mexico came in at 1.8mn b/d in February, up from the 1.78mn b/d produced in the prior month but down by 28,000 b/d from February 2023. Almost all the crude produced in the Gulf of Mexico was 40°API or lower. By Brett Holmes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
HSFO demand supports Rotterdam 1Q bunker sales
HSFO demand supports Rotterdam 1Q bunker sales
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