The Coast Guard this morning began permitting barges to move up and down the Houston Ship Channel at low speed as crews work to contain an oil spill in Galveston Bay. The Associated Press reports that no ship traffic is allowed to enter or leave the channel. Cleanup crews are still working to reopen the channel and protect any wildlife from being harmed by the spilled oil. Officials told the AP they believe most of the spilled oil is flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, away from bird habitats in Galveston Bay.
ExxonMobil said yesterday production at its Baytown refinery would be impacted by the spill, but the company did not give specifics. The spill has also ground NGL export traffic to a halt.
Afternoon update: The Houston Chronicle reports that ships are being allowed to travel through the Houston Ship Channel and barges have resumed operations. The channel has also been cleared of oil.
