Texas waterway polluted after tanker collision
Posted by feww on January 24, 2010
Massive Oil Spill in Texas, Residents Scurry to Shelter
A tanker sustained a large hole the size of a billboard on Saturday after it collided with a barge in Port Arthur, Texas, releasing a very large amount of crude oil into the water, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The Eagle Otome collided with a barge in Port Arthur, Texas. Handout photograph taken and released on January 23, 2010. The Coast Guard initial estimate of the spilled oil is about 450,000 gallons. Credit: U.S. Coast Guard/Handout via Reuters.
“The tanker was carrying crude oil to Exxon Mobil Corp’s refinery in Beaumont, Texas, located north of Port Arthur. The waterway, through which tankers carry oil to four refineries in Port Arthur and Beaumont, Texas, remained shut on Saturday night.” Reuters reported.
The collision tore a large hole measuring about 4.5 meter-by-2.5-meter (15 by 8 ft) in the side of the 250-meter (810-foot) tanker Eagle Otome, the Coast Guard said. No injuries were reported as a result of the crash, Reuters reported .
About half a million gallons of spilled crude oil released hydrogen sulfide into the air prompting port authorities to issue warnings recommending nearby residents to stay indoors.
A dozen or so people reportedly scurried to a shelter; however, the vapors quickly dissipated, according to the police chief, the report said.
The Eagle Otome collided with a barge in Port Arthur, Texas. Handout photograph taken and released on January 23, 2010. Credit: U.S. Coast Guard/Handout via Reuters. Click image to enlarge.
Port Arther sustained severe damage after hurricane Rita made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on September 23 between Sabine Pass, Texas, and Johnsons Bayou, Louisiana.Credit: Bob McMillan/ FEMA Photo (Date: September 28, 2005)
Related Links:
Fire Earth 
feww said
Half of Texas oil spill contained
HOUSTON (Reuters) – About half of the crude oil spilled in a ship collision on Saturday on the Sabine-Neches Waterway in Port Arthur was contained on Monday, while the key shipping waterway remained closed, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60O42B20100125
feww said
Texas waterway remains closed after oil spill
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60N0EI20100125
Video report:
http://www.reuters.com/article/video/idUSTRE60N0EI20100125?videoId=32731410
C J Seime said
Why was this not a “double hulled” ship? Thought that by now these regulations should have been fully implemented, so a barge bumping into a ship wouldn’t ruin the environment. http://www.imo.org/Safety/mainframe.asp?topic_id=1043
feww said
Eagle Otome was a 95,663-ton, double-hulled tanker built in 1994, according to American Eagle Tankers Inc Ltd, foreign vessels registration documents.
The severity of the damage is more evident in the second photo:
