Environmental Crisis Averted: Galveston Gas Leak Finally Resolved
After weeks of continuous pollution, a natural gas condensate leak into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Galveston, Texas, has been successfully addressed. The leak, which was first reported in July, originated from a platform in the bay, approximately 12 miles off the coast of Crystal Beach on the Bolivar Peninsula. On Monday, teams from the Texas General Land Office (GLO), Texas Railroad Commission, and U.S. Coast Guard managed to patch the pipes that were releasing liquid into the bay.
The Magnitude of the Leak
While this incident is not on the scale of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, it is still significant. Aerial photographs taken in mid-July revealed that the spill was visible for miles, with the glow being so intense that satellites were able to capture it, leading to a notification from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Satellite images showed that the spill covered an area of 3.2 square miles.
Ownership and Responsibility
The leak was determined to be natural gas condensate coming from a flowline riser. Despite efforts to find the platform owner, neither the Texas General Land Office nor the Railroad Commission disclosed this information. Records indicate that Gulf Coast Operations LLC was the last known leaseholder of the platform, which appeared to be in a state of disrepair. The platform, connected to the Transco pipeline owned by Houston-based Williams Companies, was abandoned in 2017. The responsible party for the cleanup and costs associated with the leak remains unknown.
Now, taxpayers might bear the financial burden of the restoration efforts, as the involved agencies are funded by public resources. While a temporary patch has been applied, the permanent solution requires the owner to remove the unused structure. KPRC 2 has sought answers regarding the financial aspects and ownership status of the platform, with updates to be provided by the Texas General Land Office.
Stay informed with KPRC 2 and Click2Houston.com for the latest developments on this ongoing situation.
