Highly-Flammable Gas Leak From Barge Shuts Houston Ship Channel

A gas leak from a barge docked at the Targa Resources facility in Galena Park led to community alerts and a temporary shutdown of the Houston Ship Channel on Tuesday afternoon.

The leak occurred around 4 pm at 12510 American Petroleum Road, where a barge owned by Kirby Inland Marine was docked.

The company informed local media that the leak happened due to a broken valve on the barge, which caused the release of butadiene gas into the air.

Butadiene is a colorless, highly flammable gas used in the production of plastics and synthetic rubber, such as car tires.

It is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a carcinogen and can irritate the lungs if inhaled.

Fortunately, the gas breaks down quickly in the atmosphere, which helps reduce its long-term impact.

Officials confirmed that the vapor release was stopped by 10 pm the same day.

Emergency response teams, including a Port Houston EMS Fireboat, were deployed to the site to assist with containment.

Air quality checks were carried out by Harris County Pollution Control, and authorities confirmed that there was no off-site impact and no threat to the surrounding community.

There was no need for a shelter-in-place order, and no injuries were reported.

The barge was later moved to a safe location for further evacuation, and the US Coast Guard reopened the Houston Ship Channel at around 3 am on Wednesday.

Targa Resources issued a statement during the incident, saying that nearby residents might notice some activity, but the company was working with local officials to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

The City of Galena Park also reported that air quality remained safe throughout the incident, and the docks where the leak occurred have since resumed normal operations.

Investigations are underway to determine the full cause of the valve failure, and Kirby Island Marine is working with the Coast Guard to assess the situation.

References: fox26houston, abc13

Source: Maritime Shipping News