CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (December 22, 2020) — In addition to the economic benefits a project like the Bluewater Texas Terminal (BWTX) generates for local communities in the form of jobs and tax revenues, the proposed project will also provide a safe and environmentally sustainable solution for the export of abundant domestic crude oil supplies from major shale basins to global markets.
Careful consideration was given in selecting BWTX sites for onshore, inshore and offshore project components. We performed extensive surveys to minimize impact to the environment and were deliberate regarding the use of best available technologies.
Air modeling and other studies performed as part of the rigorous permitting process demonstrate that the BWTX project will neither affect the Corpus Christi area National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Attainment status, nor would it impair air quality and public health.
If built, BWTX would reduce the need for offshore reverse lightering operations. Currently, most crude oil destined for export from the U.S. Gulf Coast is loaded onto ships from an onshore facility, and then loaded for a second time without emissions controls onto a larger tanker.
Offshore deepwater export ports like the proposed BWTX project have slightly less emissions of criteria pollutants than current reverse lightering activities. In addition, the greenhouse gas emissions estimated for BWTX are approximately 80% lower than reverse lightering because of the reduction in transportation and support vessels.
Loading crude at a deepwater port is a safer, more efficient alternative to reverse lightering while also reducing nearshore ship traffic and inshore port congestion.