TEXAS CITY — Refineries shuttered during Hurricane Ike escaped major flooding, and workers here are busy reconnecting water and power to the Texas City plants.
BP spokesman Scott Dean said Tuesday the plant also escaped wind damage from the storm’s Saturday landfall in Galveston County, but there are too many variables in play to predict a restart date, he said.
The city’s hurricane levy protected the refineries, and Dean said there is no evidence of significant flooding.
“That’s the good news so far,” he said. “We’re inspecting critical systems to prepare for startup, and waiting on reliable electricity and water service.”
Bill Day, a Valero spokesman, said power has mostly been restored to its Texas City and Houston refineries and the company is working to do the same at its Port Arthur facility.
“Crews are working through other issues, such as ensuring supplies of fresh water and natural gases,” Day said, noting Valero has no timetable for its restart.
Valero has reopened 64 of its company-owned retail stores in the Houston region and continues to open more at a rapid pace, Day said.
Marathon Oil spokesman Robert Calmus said the company has an assessment team on the ground and was optimistic the Texas City refinery would have power in two to three days.
“Generally, electricity has been restored in small pockets,” Calmus said. “But the water isn’t potable, and we still have to evaluate the damages caused by the storm.”
Housing for employees also is an issue as Galveston has no water or electricity, and reliable utilities are beginning to come online on the county’s Mainland.
