Spills

1; port neches, texas

Unocal Dock No · NOAAORR-6940

issued
1993-04-20 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1993-05-04 00:00Z
self-cancels
1993-05-04 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
Gulf of Mexico
position
30.000, -93.967
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

UNOCAL Dock No. 1; Port Neches, Texas.
Port Neches, Texas.
1. At 0853 on April 20, 1993, a watchman making early morning rounds reported a crude oil spill at the UNOCAL Neches River facility to the USCG MSO Port Arthur. Pollution investigators confirmed the spill and overflight personnel reported that a marsh to the east of the spill site had been impacted. UNOCAL initially reported that 100 barrels had been released, but USCG overflight personnel estimated the spill at 1,000 barrels. The final calculation by UNOCAL was 2,100 barrels. The spill location was boomed and UNOCAL hired four contractors to cleanup the marsh. The cause of the spill may have been valve failure while crude was being transferred from a holding tank on the facility to an off-site tank. Reports indicated that the transfer may have been switched to an inappropriate pipeline, which subsequently overflowed. There were no alarms on the system. UNOCAL immediately accepted [...]
2. COMMODITY: KUWAITI LIGHT CRUDE OIL. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 42000 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 30.000N 093.967W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6940: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6940

This area · spills & pollution incidents

639 within 180 nm since 1973 · 15 in the last 12 months · 1 in force now

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Timeline · 2 messages since 1993-04-20 · closed 1993-05-04

  1. 1; port neches, texas this message1993-04-20 → 1993-05-04
  2. Port arthur, tx1993-04-20 → 1993-05-04

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Nearby now · within 120 nm

Nothing else in force within 120 nm.

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8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all

Spills

Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents

Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.