On the afternoon of Friday, a detailed press statement was issued by the Port of Victoria concerning a significant spill event that took place on the previous Wednesday evening.
The announcement provided a comprehensive breakdown of the incident. It detailed that approximately 300 barrels of a mixture, composed of crude oil and diesel with a high sulfur content, were accidentally released into a designated containment zone at Shamrock Products LLC. This facility is a privately operated terminal within the bounds of the Port of Victoria. The port authorities have confirmed that, fortunately, this spillage has not extended into the nearby Victoria Barge Canal. Moreover, the conducted tests have revealed no concerning levels of hydrogen sulfide that would necessitate immediate action.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the Goliad County Emergency Management took to social media on Thursday night to inform the public. They attributed the unusual odor pervading the Coastal Bend area to this mixed spill. This spill comprised not only crude oil and diesel but also included hydrogen sulfide.
The exact quantity of the spilled mixture remains uncertain. On Thursday afternoon, officials from the city of Corpus Christi announced their involvement in efforts to precisely identify the source of a pervasive ammonia-like odor reported across the Coastal Bend area.
In their Thursday afternoon press release, Corpus Christi officials mentioned that numerous calls had been received by dispatchers. However, subsequent investigations by the Corpus Christi Fire Department’s HAZMAT teams did not detect any hazardous chemicals in the vicinity.
The prevailing belief is that the origin of this odor is a yet-to-be-identified chemical spill that occurred south of Victoria. However, this has not been officially confirmed. The statement from the port also indicated that the wind conditions at the time played a role in carrying the odor southward.
Residents of San Patricio County began noticing and reporting the foul smell from Thursday morning. Similar reports also emerged from inhabitants of Refugio and Padre Island. The San Patricio Emergency Management Office provided timely updates to the residents. Initially, they acknowledged the presence of the odor but clarified that it was not related to a minor train derailment that happened Wednesday night near the OxyChem plant in Ingleside.
By Thursday morning, the office released a further update, stating that they were actively collaborating with air quality officials to track down the source of the smell. “We are coordinating with TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality), the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and other local jurisdictions to ascertain the cause of this odor,” the update stated. “At this point, we have verified that the source of the odor is not emanating from any facilities in San Patricio County along the La Quinta Channel. We will continue to share new information as it becomes available. We appreciate the patience and cooperation of the public in this matter.”
A multitude of state and local agencies, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, are diligently working to locate the source of the pervasive odor.