Oil Spill Leaves Ships Stranded
The AP has reported that ships have been stranded, seafood sources threatened and the nation's oil reserve tapped as the result of 47,000 gallons of oil spilling into a southwestern Louisiana shipping channel, forcing its closure. The June 19 spill at a Citgo Petroleum Corp. refinery in Lake Charles forced the closure of the Calcasieu Ship Channel, a key lane for transporting petroleum in and out of the region's four refineries. About 11 miles of the channel remained closed Thursday. The entire 40 miles to the Gulf of Mexico had been closed. About 31,000 barrels had been cleaned up by Thursday, the Coast Guard said. A Citgo spokesman said the clean up was going well partly because a lack a wind kept oil patches in place and the dry, sunny weather was evaporating much of the oil.
ExxonMobil, Qatar Petroleum Progress LNG Project
In a joint statement issued at the conclusion of an inauguration ceremony held in Doha, Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, announced the launch of Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (RL3). RL3 is a further expansion of the existing LNG production facilities operated by RasGas Company Limited (Qatar Petroleum 70 percent; ExxonMobil 30 percent) at Ras Laffan Industrial city in North Eastern Qatar. This project is planned to bring the total number of trains operated by RasGas to seven (Trains 1 and 2 in RL, 3 through 5 in RL II and 6 and 7 in RL 3) and is expected to increase RasGas LNG production capacity by more than 70 percent. Full-chain investment in RL 3 is estimated at near $14 billion.
Keys Coral Reefs First In U.S. To Receive International Protection
historic steps through the International Maritime Organization to create the first U.S. and collisions from large international ships. square nautical miles and is one of only five such areas in the world. Starting Dec. 1, ships greater than 164 ft. in length transiting the zone will be held to internationally accepted and enforceable rules. areas within the zone altogether and abide by three no-anchoring areas within the zone. the Florida Particularly Sensitive Sea Area and address, these protective measures. More than 40 percent of the world's commerce passes through the Florida Straits each year. since 1997. resources while simultaneously supporting shipping and economic growth. Secretary of Commerce Samuel W. the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C. from U.S.
