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Southeast Texas News

28 Dec 2023

Great Lakes Bags $173.7 Million in New Dredging Contracts

File photo: Great Lakes' hopper dredge Padre Island in Galveston Channel in August 2023. (Credit: Luke Waack / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation on Thursday announced the receipt of five dredging contracts totaling $173.7 million. The projects are in Texas, New Jersey, Florida and Louisiana.The Sabine-Neches Waterway Channel Improvement Project-Phase 1 (Capital, Texas, $62.8 million) includes dredging for channel deepening along the Sabine-Neches Waterway from Sabine Bank Channel to Sabine Pass Channel. The construction of the Sabine-Neches Waterway will generate widespread economic benefits for Southeast Texas…

23 Aug 2023

Great Lakes Wins Dredging Contract for Port Arthur LNG Project

(Image: Sempra Infrastructure)

Houston-based dredging contractor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation announced it has been awarded a dredging and disposal contract in support of the Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project.Great Lakes has been contracted by Bechtel Energy, the engineering, construction, and procurement company that’s managing the project in partnership with Sempra Infrastructure. The Port Arthur LNG project is a natural gas liquefaction and export terminal in Southeast Texas with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico.

31 Mar 2023

Blowtorch Used to Free Mariners from Sinking Tug in Sabine Pass

Four crewmen aboard the Sea Cypress, a 71-foot tugboat, prepare to disembark the sinking vessel and climb aboard a Sabine Pilot boat at the mouth of the Sabine Pass Ship Channel in Texas, March 31, 2023. Two of the tugboat’s crew used a handheld torch to cut a hole in the partially submerged vessel’s bulkhead and free the two crewmen trapped in the galley. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Four mariners were rescued in dramatic fashion from a tugboat that was sinking in Sabine Pass, Texas, on Friday.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston command center were notified at 5:38 a.m. that the crew of the 71-foot tug Sea Cypress hailed mayday on VHF-FM channel 13 and reported they were capsizing while moored near the mouth of the Sabine Pass channel.Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of…

18 Aug 2022

Next US Energy Boom Could Be Wind Power in the Gulf of Mexico

© Mosto / Adobe Stock

With passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which contains US$370 billion for climate and energy programs, policy experts are forecasting a big expansion in clean electricity generation. One source that’s poised for growth is offshore wind power.Today the U.S. has just two operating offshore wind farms, off of Rhode Island and Virginia, with a combined generating capacity of 42 megawatts. For comparison, the new Traverse Wind Energy Center in Oklahoma has 356 turbines and a 998-megawatt generating capacity.

14 Apr 2022

Tanker Crew Member Medevaced in the Gulf of Mexico

(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

An ailing crew member was medecaced from a tanker in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watchstanders received a medevac request at 12:17 p.m. from the vessel agent of the 980-foot tanker vessel Tenergy, stating a 40-year-old crew member aboard was experiencing numbness, shortness of breath and an elevated heart rate. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac.A Coast…

20 Sep 2021

Crew Member Medevaced from Tanker off Texas

(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

An ailing crew member was medevaced  from a crude oil tanker 22 miles south of Sabine, Texas, Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard Sector Houston command center watchstanders received a call at 10:36 p.m. from the anchored Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Pacific Ruby stating that a 35-year-old mariner on board was exhibiting abnormal lethargic behavior and was in need of medical assistance. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac.A Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew launched to assist.

17 May 2021

Sabine Pilots Association Opens New HQ

(Photo: Sabine Pilots Association)

The Sabine Pilots Association on Monday formally opened its new headquarters located in Port Arthur, TexasThe new structure is designed and built to enable the Sabine Pilots to handle the growth and challenges of expanding shipping demands on their waterway.Present at the opening ceremony were some 500 maritime community stakeholders as well as elected and appointed governmental and port area leaders. Speakers were Captain Charles A. Tweedel, President of the Sabine Pilots, and Father Sinclair Oubre' of the Port Arthur Seafarer Center and Apostleship of the Sea…

18 Feb 2021

'Fireboats are Basically an Insurance Policy'

(Photo: MetalCraft Marine)

“Fireboats are basically an insurance policy.” -Meeting minutes, Southeast Texas Waterways Advisory Council (SETWAC).Developments in America’s coastal ports are causing officials to closely review maritime safety operations and equipment. Fireboats draw a lot of attention. The reference here is to big fireboats – 40-50 feet, crewed by specially trained firefighters, outfitted with the equipment required to confront and take on a range of waterway emergencies. [CBRN is a frequent acronym used with these fireboats: Chemical…

06 Jul 2020

New Bill Aims to Secure Grant Funding for Maritime Training

© LaVonna/ Adobe Stock

A new bill introduced in the U.S. aims to make available $200 million in grant funding for community and technical colleges offering training programs for maritime industry professions. The legislation H.R. 7456 was introduced by Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (Texas-29) alongside Rep. Don Young (Alaska-At-Large), Rep. Anthony G. Brown (Md.-04), Rep. Brian Babin (Texas-36), and Rep. Steven Palazzo (Miss.-04).“Maritime industry jobs are a critical part of our nation’s economy. Yet research has shown that there may soon be a shortage of maritime industry workers,” said Congresswoman Garcia.

21 Apr 2020

Big City Fireboats

(Credit: Bill Ingalls, NASA)

On March 3, the Coast Guard published a notice that Martin Midstream Partners (MMP), a petrochemical transport and storage company, was seeking approval to modify terminal operations in Beaumont, Texas, along the Sabine-Neches Waterway. If approved, MMP would expand its liquefied hazardous gas (LHG) operations, both in volume and products. Instead of just handling ammonia the change would allow shipments of butane, propane, ethane, ethylene and propylene.Critically, MMP’s expansion would increase LHG vessel transit from 24 ships to as many as 350 per year.

13 May 2019

LNG Trailblazer Eisbrenner Dies at 58

Kathleen M. Eisbrenner (Photo: NextDecade Corporation)

Kathleen M. Eisbrenner, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry pioneer and Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors at US based LNG development company NextDecade Corporation, has passed away at the age of 58.Eisbrenner enjoyed a remarkable career, and was widely viewed as one of the foremost female executives in the global LNG industry. She founded NextDecade in 2010 and led the company to its listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market in July 2017. She served jointly as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until February 2018…

04 Nov 2018

Chesapeake Acquires WildHorse for $4B

Chesapeake Energy has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WildHorse Resource Development, an oil and gas company with operations in the Eagle Ford Shale and Austin Chalk formations in southeast Texas, in a transaction valued at approximately $3.977bn.The acquisition of WildHorse expands Chesapeake’s oil growth platform and accelerates progress toward its strategic and financial goals of enhancing margins, achieving sustainable free cash flow generation, and reducing net debt to EBITDA ratio.Doug Lawler, Chesapeake's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This transaction accelerates Chesapeake's strategic plan and expands the value-creation opportunities for our shareholders by adding a premier asset at an attractive valuation…

30 Aug 2017

Harvey Soaks Louisiana as Houston Struggles With Flooding

Tropical Storm Harvey bore down on Louisiana on Wednesday, pouring down more water after setting rainfall records in Texas that caused catastrophic flooding and paralyzed the U.S. energy hub of Houston. The storm that first came ashore on Friday as the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in more than 50 years has killed at least 17 people and forced tens of thousands to leave their deluged homes. Damage has been estimated at tens of billions of dollars, making it one of the costliest U.S. natural disasters. There is some relief in sight for Houston, the fourth most populous U.S. city, with forecasters saying five days of torrential rain may come to an end as the storm picks up speed and leaves the Gulf of Mexico region later in the day.

15 Jun 2017

EMI Opens Houston Location

EMI, a division of W&O, said it has expanded its efforts to support the inland boat sector by opening a new location in Houston.   Craig Cabiro, COO of EMI, said the new location will offer service capabilities and inventory locally for the Southeast Texas market.   “Our expansion into Houston is the first of several strategic locations EMI will be adding to provide quicker response times and local support where our customers need us most,” Cabiro added.   The new EMI location will be in the same building as the W&O Houston branch and will host a service technician.

23 Dec 2016

Two Medevaced from Tanker off Sabine, Texas

Coast Guard crews medevaced two men after they were struck by a pressurized object and suffered injuries aboard a tank ship about 20 miles off the Texas Point Wildlife Refuge Wednesday afternoon. The crew of the tanker United Ambassador contacted Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur watchstanders, who alerted Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders at 2:35 p.m., reporting a 24-year-old man was struck in the head by a pressurized part causing bleeding and unconsciousness and a 42-year-old man's nose was broken. At approximately 2:45 p.m., watchstanders diverted an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Houston and launched a 45-foot response boat from Station Sabine.

28 Jan 2016

Port of Beaumont Celebrates Centennial

Photo courtesy of Port of Beaumont

2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the Port of Beaumont, a major deepwater port in Southeast Texas. A series of celebrations and public events began October 20th, when the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce presented the port with its Spindletop Award for outstanding corporate citizenship. A record crowd of 800 people were on hand for the 112th annual Chamber meeting, where keynote speaker, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, saluted the port for 100 years of service. Port officials have planned a number of events over the next six months to commemorate the Centennial.

06 Oct 2014

LNG America Taps Paitl for VP Marine Ops

Captain George “Joe” Paitl

LNG America welcomes Captain George “Joe” Paitl to position of VP Marine Operations and HSSE Compliance. Capt. Paitl is a retired US Coast Guard senior officer who most recently held the position of Commanding Officer and Captain of the Port, Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, where he oversaw safety, security, law enforcement, and environmental regulatory compliance across a 39,000 square mile area spanning Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana; the Port Arthur unit includes the nation's busiest commercial military cargo port…

30 Apr 2014

The History of Offshore Energy

Gracing the cover of the June 1, 1957 edition was a  “Huge Oil Drilling Barge” the Margaret which was one of the largest ever built at 300 ft. long, 200 ft. wide and 93 ft. high, capable of an operating depth of 65 ft. Margaret was built by Alabama Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company for the Ocean Drilling and Exploration Company, New Orleans.

Offshore exploration is a history of man v. Prospecting for oil is a dynamic art. From a lake in Ohio, to piers off the California coast in the early 1900s, to the salt marshes of Louisiana in the 1930s, to the first “out-of-sight- of-land” tower in 1947 in the Gulf of Mexico, the modern offshore petroleum industry has inched its way over the last roughly 75 years from 100 ft. of water ever farther into the briny deep, where the biggest platform today, Shell’s Perdido spar, sits in 8,000 ft. of water. As a planet, we have two unquenchable thirsts – for water and for oil.

21 Sep 2004

New Debis Clearing Vessel Design

Alan C. McClure Associates (ACMA) completed its contract from the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) to design and supervise the construction of a 32-ft. barge that will remove debris from the Blanco and Guadalupe rivers and their tributaries as they flow through south and southeast Texas. After establishing the capabilities that would be required to operate in this specialized environment, ACMA developed the conceptual design, recommended equipment and propulsion systems, developed bid specifications, distributed specifications to shipyards for bids, evaluated bid packages, oversaw construction and provided owner’s representation throughout the project.

16 Oct 2001

New White House Trade Authority Will Boost Houston Region Economy

business leaders. T. Edmonds. America to U.S. goods and services. Venezuela ($3.2 billion) and Brazil ($2.1 billion). Texas Farm Bureau President Steve Pringle. of American agriculture," he said.

02 Aug 2006

Chicago Bridge Wins $1B Contract

Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. N.V. on August 1 was awarded a contract, valued at more than $1b, by Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC for the construction of a liquefied natural gas import terminal near Sabine Pass, Texas. The engineering firm said the terminal, which is expected to start up in 2009, will have import capacity to process 15.6 million tons of LNG per year. The project is expected to create more than 1,000 construction jobs in southeast Texas. (Source: Reuters)