Hurricane Harvey Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Energy production=== {{see also|2017 Arkema plant explosion}} Energy production in the [[Gulf of Mexico]] declined in the wake of Harvey by approximately 21% β the output dropped to 378,633 barrels per day from the original 1.75 million [[Barrel of oil|barrels of oil]] produced each day. The [[Eagle Ford Group|Eagle Ford Rock Formation]] (shale oil and gas) in southern Texas reduced production by 300,000 to 500,000 <abbr title="barrels per day">bpd</abbr>, according to the [[Texas Railroad Commission]]. Many energy-related ports and terminals closed, delaying about fourteen crude oil tankers. About 2.25 million bpd of refining capacity was<!--is?--> offline for several days; that is about 12% of total US capacity, with refineries affected at Corpus Christi, and later [[Port Arthur, Texas|Port Arthur]] and [[Beaumont, Texas|Beaumont]], and [[Lake Charles, Louisiana]]. The price of [[Brent crude]] ''versus'' [[West Texas Intermediate]] crude oil achieved a split of [[USD|U.S. $]]5.<ref name="2017-08-28_Stratfor">{{cite web |url=https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/us-hurricane-harvey-s-toll-texas-energy |title=U.S.: Hurricane Harvey's Toll on Texas Energy |publisher=[[Stratfor]] |date=August 28, 2017 |access-date=August 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830152229/https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/us-hurricane-harvey-s-toll-texas-energy |archive-date=August 30, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Two [[ExxonMobil]] refineries had to be shut down following related storm damage and releases of hazardous pollutants.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/08/29/exxonmobil-refineries-damaged-in-hurricane-harvey-releasing-hazardous-pollutants|title=ExxonMobil refineries are damaged in Hurricane Harvey, releasing hazardous pollutants|date=August 29, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829194723/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/08/29/exxonmobil-refineries-damaged-in-hurricane-harvey-releasing-hazardous-pollutants/|archive-date=August 29, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Two oil storage tanks owned by Burlington Resources Oil and Gas collectively spilled 30,000 gallons of crude in [[DeWitt County, Texas|DeWitt County]]. An additional 8,500 gallons of wastewater was spilled in the incidents.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Miami Herald|date=August 30, 2017|access-date=August 31, 2017|title=The Latest: Death toll 31 as 6 more fatalities confirmed|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article170147332.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904225822/http://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article170147332.html|archive-date=September 4, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> On August 30, the CEO of [[Arkema]] warned one of its chemical plants in [[Crosby, Texas]], could explode or be subject to intense fire due to the loss of "critical refrigeration" of materials.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/08/30/harvey-aftershock-chemical-plant-near-houston-could-explode-ceo-says.html|title=Harvey aftershock: Chemical plant near Houston could explode, CEO says|date=August 30, 2017|publisher=Fox News Channel|access-date=August 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831042023/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/08/30/harvey-aftershock-chemical-plant-near-houston-could-explode-ceo-says.html|archive-date=August 31, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> All workers at the facility and residents within {{convert|1.5|mi|km|abbr=on}} were evacuated. Eight of the plant's nine refrigeration units failed without power, enabling the stored chemicals to decompose and become combustible. Two explosions occurred around 2:00 a.m. on August 31; 21 emergency personnel were briefly hospitalized.<ref>{{cite news|work=The New York Times|date=August 31, 2017|access-date=August 31, 2017|title=Harvey Live Updates: In Crosby, Texas, Blasts at a Chemical Plant and More Are Feared|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/31/us/harvey-houston-texas-flood.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831131428/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/31/us/harvey-houston-texas-flood.html|archive-date=August 31, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Due to the shutdown in refineries, [[Gasoline and diesel usage and pricing|gas prices]] did see an increase nationwide.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-harvey-energy/texas-refineries-begin-restart-after-hit-from-harvey-idUSKCN1BD0B9 |title=Texas refineries begin restart after hit from Harvey |work=Reuters |date=September 2, 2017 |access-date=September 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903063939/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-harvey-energy/texas-refineries-begin-restart-after-hit-from-harvey-idUSKCN1BD0B9 |archive-date=September 3, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the increase was not as [[Economic effects of Hurricane Katrina|extensive as Hurricane Katrina]].<ref name="CBS">{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-prices-up-to-2-year-high-after-hurricane-harvey/ |title=Gas prices up to 2-year high after Hurricane Harvey |work=CBS News |date=September 1, 2017 |access-date=September 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903225719/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-prices-up-to-2-year-high-after-hurricane-harvey/ |archive-date=September 3, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, Harvey's impact coincided with [[Labor Day Weekend]], which sees a traditional increase in gas prices due to the heavy travel for that weekend.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2017/09/harvey_spikes_nj_gas_prices_ahead_of_holiday_weekend_how_high_will_they_go.html |title=Harvey spikes N.J. gas prices ahead of holiday weekend. How high will they go? |publisher=NJ.com |date=September 2017 |access-date=September 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903225708/http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2017/09/harvey_spikes_nj_gas_prices_ahead_of_holiday_weekend_how_high_will_they_go.html |archive-date=September 3, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Nonetheless, the spike brought the highest gas prices in two years.<ref name="CBS" /> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page