On Jan. 6, an estimated 2,915 barrels of oil reportedly leaked from a tank inside the Flint Hills Resources terminal, prompting immediate action from first responders and state agencies.
Between 8:30 and 10: 30 on Friday night, we had some crews working here and they were able to smell and then see that we had a release coming from tank 75," said Flint Hills Resources Corpus Christi Director of Public Affairs Andy Saenz.
Flint Hills Emergency Crews and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said they will continue to conduct air sampling and report that it is not at a dangerous level. This weekend's spill comes after residents across the Coastal Bend began smelling an ammonia- like odor Thursday when a different spill took place in Victoria earlier last week.
Seanz said that plans were in place immediately after the spill occurred.
"The containment area did exactly what it was suppose to do. Once the oil left the tank, it stayed around the tank, and the containment area kept it all in one sight," he said.
Regarding the foul-smelling odor, Saenz said officials also had plans and protocols in place to address it.
"When first responders did get here, they finally put some foam down, and what the foam did is it cut the emissions and the odor that were coming from the oil," he said.
James Duenes from the Oil Spill Division at the Texas General Land Office said that his office is typically among the first to be informed when such incidents occur.
"We did make an assessment this morning. Everything, all the free materials should be removed by this evening," he said.
Duenes said that facilities operating in close proximity to large bodies of water must adhere to specific guidelines.
"They have to have certain plans in their program to be able to respond to things if they have a problem with a spill," he said.
If residents need to report a pipeline emergency, they can call Flint Hills Resources at 1-800-688-7594.
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