Gas Leak on Barge in Houston Ship Channel Prompts Community Alerts

On Tuesday, a gas leak on a barge on the Houston Ship Channel prompted community alerts on the key energy-infrastructure corridor, but local officials say that no air quality threats have been detected and residents have the all-clear.

Operator Kirby Inland Marine informed local media that a vapor release occurred aboard a barge at the Targa Resources dock in Galena, Texas. The release was caused by a valve leak, which released an unspecified quantity of butadiene, a common industrial gas used for making plastics and synthetic rubber, such as car tires. Butadiene is known as a carcinogen by the EPA and is also an inhalation irritant and highly flammable. Fortunately, it breaks down quickly in the atmosphere, reducing its potential impact.

The leak, attributed to a broken valve as reported by CW39 Houston, was contained by late Tuesday, and the barge was towed to a safe location for further evaluation. The Houston Ship Channel has since reopened to full service, and the City of Galena Park has reassured the public that there are no air quality threats present.

Despite the alarming nature of the incident, no injuries were reported from the gas leak, providing a sense of relief to the community.