chevron gas line accident
ChevronCVX -0.94% Pipe Line Co. has shut down a natural-gas pipeline that feeds Gulf of Mexico production to the Henry Hub storage and delivery point in Louisiana in the wake of a deadly accident.
A contract worker performing routine maintenance on an offshore gas pipeline was killed Saturday and two other workers were injured, the company said. The accident occurred 6 miles south of Timbalier Bay off the southeast coast of Louisiana, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Chevron declined to identify the workers and offered no details about what happened offshore, but said the company has launched an investigation.
The gas-handling line had a valve failure Saturday around 11:10 a.m. local time, said Gregory Langley, a spokesman for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. There has been no sheen on the water since the incident began, he said.
Gas flows through the pipeline have been halted until the investigation and repairs can be completed, the company said, adding that minimal gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has been affected.
The closed gas pipeline feeds fuel to the Henry Hub, a critical storage and delivery point in Erath, La., that is linked to several interstate pipelines. The Henry Hub gas price is considered the benchmark for all U.S. gas pricing. The company said most gas that would have been transported on the now closed line has been rerouted to alternative pipes, the company said.
The company "regrets this tragic incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the contractor's family and friends," Chevron said in a statement.
Natural gas is being released from the line to depressurize the pipe, the company said. Chevron said it is monitoring the situation through an on-site response team in addition to regular flights over the area.
—Russell Gold contributed to this article.