Pemex Contains Diesel Spill at Deer Park Refinery Dock in Houston

State oil company Pemex said it has contained a diesel spill at the dock area of its 340,000-b/d Deer Park refinery in the Greater Houston area, with no reported impact to the surrounding community or navigation channel.

In a morning update posted Monday through the Community Awareness and Emergency Response system, Pemex said the spill remained “fully contained” and cleanup operations were ongoing, with teams continuing to monitor weather conditions as a precaution.

The incident was first reported Sunday morning, when diesel was released into the Houston Ship Channel. Pemex said the leak site was isolated and emergency crews deployed containment booms while notifying relevant authorities.

In a separate statement, the company explained the spill was caused by the interaction of two privately owned vessels at the refinery’s dock, one being supplied with diesel and another departing after completing its load.

Pemex said refinery personnel activated emergency protocols immediately and issued a CAER alert to inform the community and authorities.

The company added it was in close communication with the U.S. Coast Guard and that there has been no impact on navigation in the channel.

Cleanup and repair work are expected to take approximately two days, according to Pemex.

Pemex acquired full ownership of the Houston facility in January 2022.

Reporting by José Luis Adriano, jadriano@opisnet.com; Editing by Michael Kelly, mkelly@opisnet.com