As Hurricane Beryl intensifies, the Texas energy industry is preparing for its impact. The storm, predicted to reach Category 2 strength before making landfall on the middle-Texas coast early Monday morning, poses a significant threat to the heart of the country’s energy sector.
Texas, responsible for over 40% of U.S. oil and 20% of natural gas production, is bracing for disruptions. Key oil and gas shipping ports, including Corpus Christi (the nation’s leading crude oil export hub), Houston, Galveston, Freeport, and Texas City, have shut down operations and vessel traffic in anticipation of the storm.
Companies are taking precautions to mitigate the storm’s impact. Chemours Co., a chemical company, has adjusted staffing and secured equipment, while Freeport LNG has activated its hurricane preparedness plan. Enbridge, which operates crude oil export facilities near Corpus Christi, has also implemented emergency plans for assets along the Gulf Coast.
Citgo Petroleum Corp. has reduced production at its Corpus Christi refinery, and producers like Shell and Chevron have shut in production or evacuated personnel from their Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms.
Power outages are already affecting Texas, with over 26,000 homes and businesses without power as of Sunday evening. Texas-based electric utility CenterPoint is closely monitoring the situation and preparing for potential disruptions.
Hurricane Beryl is expected to turn northeast and move inland over eastern Texas and Arkansas later Monday and Tuesday. The full extent of the storm’s impact on the Texas energy industry remains uncertain, but the industry is taking proactive steps to minimize disruption and ensure safety.