Moda shuts crude marine loadings at Texas terminal

Moda Midstream has shut marine operations at its crude export terminal on the Texas Gulf coast as tropical storm Nicholas heads to the region.

Marine operations at the Moda Ingleside Energy Center have been deferred, the company told Argus today. The terminal near Corpus Christi, Texas, has 15.6mn bl of storage capacity and can export up to 1.5mn b/d of crude.

Tropical storm Nicholas was about 45 miles (70km) northeast of the US-Mexico border at about 11:00 ET today with a possible landfall expected later today near Corpus Christi, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm "could be near hurricane intensity at landfall," the NHC said.

A hurricane watch was in effect from Port Aransas in the Corpus Christi area to San Luis Pass in Lake Jackson, Texas.

The Corpus Christi area, including Ingleside, has become the top hub to export US crude after three major pipelines started service in the past two years.

The Corpus Christi area accounted for about 53pc of US crude exports -- or 1.57mn b/d -- in January-June 2021, according to monthly Census trade data.

By Eunice Bridges