Port of Corpus still partially shut after pipeline fire

Parts of the Port of Corpus Christi in Texas remained shut over the weekend as clean up continued after a deadly explosion and fire from a ruptured propane pipeline near the port's refinery area.

The Corpus Christi Inner Harbor is closed from the Chemical Turning basin to the Viola Turning basin, disrupting some shipping traffic at the port which is a key outlet for exporting US crude and other commodities. The port on 21 August was closed from the Harbor Bridge inward.

A dredging barge struck a submerged propane pipeline at around 9am ET on 21 August causing the explosion and fire. The Coast Guard yesterday recovered the bodies of two crew members and two others are still missing. Six other crew members were taken to area hospitals last week, according to the Corpus Christi fire department.

A fire on the barge reignited late on 21 August and was extinguished before the vessel broke apart and sank. The Coast Guard was planning to recover the barge, but inclement weather could hamper the process as tropical storm Laura appeared headed to the Texas or Louisiana coast later this week. Another storm in the Gulf, Hurricane Marco, was headed to make landfall in Louisiana.

Enterprise Products Partners, which operates the propane line, said last week that it experienced a release of propane from a portion of its south Texas pipeline system at the Port of Corpus Christi resulting in a fire. "Enterprise immediately initiated its emergency response plan and has isolated the affected segment of the pipeline," the company said.

By Eunice Bridges