Exxon Mobil Corp. said Monday that the shutdown of the Houston Ship Channel has affected production at its refinery complex in Baytown, the second-largest of its kind in the U.S.
Exxon Mobil spokesman Todd Spitler would not disclose how much of a drop in output the company expects and other oil companies generally would not detail potential problems resulting from the port shutdown.
The Houston Ship Channel remains closed indefinitely after nearly 170,000 gallons of heavy oil spilled into the Galveston Bay on Saturday afternoon.
Authorities are hopeful that the channel could open to some traffic on Monday, said Patrick Seeba, program manager of the Houston Ship Channel security district. A total of 81 ships or boats were waiting to move through the Houston Ship Channel as authorities continued efforts to contain and recover the spilled oil.
Authorities have said that the 52-mile Ship Channel, which connects the country’s largest exporting port to the Gulf of Mexico, will not reopen until the water is clear of the fuel. The shutdown has incited concerns about potential widespread economic impact and closure of refineries in the world’s second-largest petrochemical complex.
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