IncidentNews Home  >>  Incident  >>  Entry

Resources at Risk

Resources At Risk Summary for the T/V GenMar Hector Maru Texas City Pier 41 Oil Spill

Prepared at 2030 EST on 14 March 2001.

This resources at risk is based on a spill of an estimated 100 bbls of Kuwait crude oil
from a vessel offloading at Pier 41, Texas City, Galveston Bay. The resources at risk
covers the area from Texas City to Bolivar Roads.  This area does not necessarily
correspond to actual or potential oil locations.  Consult other Hotline reports for oil
location information.


Kuwait crude oil is a medium crude that tends to readily form stable emulsions.  Stranded
oil can heavily coat intertidal zones, vegetation, and animals that come into contact with
the oil.


The major shoreline habitats in the Texas City area are riprap, bulkheads, and sheltered
scarps in clay. In Swan Lake, the shorelines are mostly marsh with pockets of sand and
shell beach. The shorelines along Bolivar Roads include sand and shell beaches, riprap,
and marshes. Extensive sand flats occur on the outer coast north of the north jetties.
Riprap is of concern because oil readily penetrates the crevices, is difficult to clean,
and can release sheens for weeks to months.  Fresh oil could penetrate the shell beaches,
however, if the oil emulsifies, it will not readily penetrate the sand or shell beaches,
or water-saturated sand flats.  Marshes are the most sensitive shoreline habitat.


The most sensitive areas include the northeast shore of Pelican Island and the extensive
flats and marshes on the north side of Bolivar Roads.


Birds
Brown pelicans, a listed species, are in the area at this time.  They spend a lot of time
on the water and dive for food.  They often do not avoid oil on the water and could become
oiled if they are present downcurrent of any releases. They don't start nesting until
April, but will be present in nesting areas.


Piping plover is a state and federally listed threatened species; they are present on sand
beaches at this time.  They feed in the intertidal zone and in wrack.  They could become
oiled if the oil stranded on their feeding beaches or oiled wrack stranded onshore. They
do not nest in the area.


Peregrine falcon was a federally listed species that was recently de-listed.  They feed on
shorebirds and waterfowl and could come in contact with oil via oiled prey.


Birds are the biological resource at greatest risk of impact from this spill, because they
are present in large numbers in the immediate area of the release and many species do not
avoid oiled areas.  Species present at this time include:  Brown pelican (federal,
endangered species), a wide range of shorebirds (such as dunlins, sandpipers), wading
birds (egrets, avocets, stilts), many species of terns, skimmers, gulls, and cormorants.
There are two areas of very high bird concentrations:  the Bolivar Flats area just north
of the North Jetty, and Pelican Island.  Pelican Island is an important nesting area, with
up to 11,000 royal terns, 5,600 royal terns, and 21,000 laughing gulls nesting there,
starting in February.  Bolivar Flat is Western Hemisphere Reserve Network site of
International Inportance, with at least 100,000 shoreline birds nesting annually or 10
percent of a species flyway population.  Bird species at greatest risk of oiling are those
which spend the most time on the water surface and/or dive for food, and include brown
pelicans, terns, and cormorants.


Fish and Shellfish
There are abundant fish and shellfish in the area.  Some species are spawning at this
time, including some which have high commercial and recreational value.  Fish and
shellfish will be at relatively low risk because of the reported small volume of oil
spilled and the tendency of this oil to emulsify (thus forming tarballs).


Marine Mammals
Bottlenose dolphin are common throughout the area, but they would likely experience only
temporary impacts (eye/nose irritation) if they came in contact with the oil slick.


Reptiles
Loggerhead sea turtles (federally listed species) are present in nearby waters year-round,
but in low concentrations.  They would be at some risk from both floating and submerged
tarballs, because they are adventitious feeders. Other federally listed sea turtles could
be present as well.


Human-Use Resources
The area is heavily used for recreational fishing, often from shore.  Along the east/north
shore of Pelican Island (and many other areas), fishers wade out far into the shallow
water, so they could come in contact with the oil.