All articles tagged with #corpus christi
U.S. crude exports rose to a record 5.2 million barrels per day in April as Asian buyers reroute around Iran’s wartime disruptions, boosting traffic at the Port of Corpus Christi and making the Gulf Coast a global loading hub; analysts say capacity may cap growth while Middle East supply remains essential, with some refined-product exports also increasing to the Middle East.
Corpus Christi faces the prospect of a water emergency as reservoirs near depletion, with a planned 25% citywide cut in water use starting in September. Most savings are expected from large industrial users (ExxonMobil, Valero, Occidental) rather than households, though 70% of homes already use less than the proposed limits and about 27,000 could face fees or shutoffs. Details on enforcement, hospital exemptions, school impacts, and how businesses will cut back remain unsettled. The plan’s duration depends on rainfall, with potential rolling restrictions or bottled-water shipments if drought persists, and potential legal wrangles with industry over imposed cuts.
Corpus Christi, Texas, is nearing a water emergency as Lake Corpus Christi sits at about 9% capacity and nearby lakes are even lower, threatening residential taps while a petrochemical and steel‑making boom dries up available water. Industry has pledged large water allocations for new plants, but supplies are uncertain, and a gulf desalination plant (Inner Harbor) has faced escalating costs and delays. City officials are pursuing groundwater and other sources, while Governor Abbott has floated state intervention and rules to accelerate relief. A potential Level 1 drought could force mandatory cuts, though industry concerns over jobs and economic impact complicate decisions, underscoring the clash between industrial water use and climate-driven scarcity.
Corpus Christi officials announced two moves to extend the water supply: state clearance to continue pumping about 40 million gallons daily from Lake Texana and a permit to draw water from four Nueces County wells, adding roughly 8 million gallons per day by the end of May and buying the city about two more months before a potential water emergency; the measures are described as temporary, as city leaders still seek longer-term supplies, and a 19-member advisory group was formed to develop long-term water plans.
Corpus Christi’s refineries are racing to secure alternative water sources as a brewing drought could trigger a citywide water emergency, risking production slowdowns that could push gasoline and jet-fuel prices higher. Flint Hills Resources and ExxonMobil are pursuing options like wastewater reuse and other non-public sources after a planned desalination project was shelved; state leaders are speeding up water projects to avert shortages, while industry officials warn of ripple effects on regional jobs and national energy supply.
Corpus Christi could be just two months from declaring a level-one water emergency, with five projected scenarios showing shortages by May and little rainfall forecast through July–September. City leaders have not finalized a curtailment plan, while Gov. Abbott has ordered agencies to fast-track actions to stretch supplies. Officials are pushing to restart a stalled desalination project and are drilling wells in Nueces and San Patricio counties to shore up supply, despite permitting hurdles and potential legal challenges. The council approved hundreds of millions for groundwater projects and land purchases, but completion is years away and gaps in supply remain possible.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott criticized Corpus Christi leaders for delaying action on a looming water shortage and warned the state may intervene to ensure residents have reliable taps; the city has about $1 billion in supply projects coming online later this year or next, but ongoing industrial demand, drought and past planning missteps could trigger shortages within a year, prompting conservation measures and new desalination efforts that are years away.
South Texas's water shortages due to a severe drought threaten Corpus Christi's booming industrial sector, including major companies like Exxon and Koch, leading to conflicts over water use and plans for a costly desalination plant that faces political and public opposition amid ongoing water scarcity.
Cheniere Energy announced a positive final investment decision on the Corpus Christi Midscale Trains 8 & 9 project, which will increase the company's LNG capacity by over 10% to more than 60 million tonnes per annum by 2028, and plans to deploy over $25 billion through 2030 for growth, share repurchases, and dividends, with an expected dividend increase of over 10%.