Repairs are taking longer than anticipated on a leaking oil platform 2 miles offshore near Bob Hall Pier on North Padre Island in Corpus Christi. Officials had announced the repairs would be completed on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Damage was greater than originally thought, announced the company in charge of the repairs.
A leaking valve will need to be replaced on the unmanned natural gas platform, which is owned by Magellen E&P. Additional equipment is needed to make the repair, officials reported. The cause of the release was a failed seal on the wellhead.
No completion date can be announced until the necessary equipment has been located and sent to the site.
The leak occurred Tuesday, Sept. 1. A white plume of natural gas, naturally occurring condensate, and water began billowing out of the well, emitting a loud roaring sound that could be heard throughout the North Padre Island area. The plume is down to 5 percent of its original size, reported a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman.