{"id":213417,"date":"2026-03-20T20:48:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T20:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/213417\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T20:48:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T20:48:09","slug":"corpus-christis-crucial-refineries-look-for-alternate-water-supplies-amid-looming-water-crisis-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/213417\/","title":{"rendered":"Corpus Christi\u2019s crucial refineries look for alternate water supplies amid looming water crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nA house next to a refinery in the Hillcrest neighborhood in Corpus Christi on Feb. 7, 2022. Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune\n<\/p>\n

Companies that own refineries in Corpus Christi say they are working to secure alternative water sources to maintain operations and prevent a shortage of gasoline and jet fuel in Texas and beyond as the city scrambles to delay or avoid a rapidly-escalating water crisis.<\/p>\n

The city earlier this week said it could enter a water emergency in as soon as two months; at that point the city would have roughly six months before supply could no longer meet demand.<\/p>\n

With gasoline prices rising amid the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, water limitations in the Coastal Bend \u2014 a growing fuel and chemical hub \u2014 could further drive up prices, industry officials said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf water limits force changes, facilities might have to slow production, take units offline or run at lower rates,\u201d said Ed Longanecker, president of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association, an oil and natural gas industry trade group. \u201cThat would hit local jobs, reduce economic activity and cut into revenue that flows through the Port of Corpus Christi, which is one of the country’s leading crude oil export points.\u201d<\/p>\n

On a statewide level, Longanecker added, \u201cany disruption at these refining and export sites could tighten supplies of gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and other refined products across Texas,\u201d which would affect fuel prices.<\/p>\n

The outsized impact of the industries using Corpus Christi water threatens to create ripple effects far beyond the Gulf Coast, said Ray Perryman, an economist and founder of the Perryman Group, which conducts economic analyses across several Texas industries.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe presence of refineries in the Corpus Christi area are shifting the severe water shortage from a local problem to an issue with significant potential economic ramifications for the state and nation,\u201d Perryman said.<\/p>\n

An extended drought has coincided with a years-long effort by city leaders to attract more industry to Corpus Christi Bay<\/a> \u2014 which in turn has driven up demand for water.<\/p>\n

Industrial consumers account for about 50% to 60% of the city\u2019s water use, local officials said.<\/p>\n

The city was counting on a desalination plant to help it keep ahead of that demand, but the City Council killed the project last year because of concerns over its escalating price tag and fears that it would harm the bay\u2019s ecosystem. City leaders are now scrambling to revive the project, which would take years to come online.<\/p>\n

With two of its main reservoirs dropping below 10% of capacity, the city is pushing forward with an array of potential solutions, from increasing how much it pumps through its main pipeline that draws from Lake Texana and the Colorado River to drilling wells to tap local groundwater.<\/p>\n

The city has also turned to water conservation, asking residents to reduce water use by banning lawn watering and requiring them to wash cars and boats with a 5-gallon bucket or face a fine.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear whether those fixes will deliver enough water quickly enough to avert the crisis.<\/p>\n

Gov. Greg Abbott <\/a>\u2014 who sharply criticized Corpus Christi leaders<\/a> for their handling of their water supply \u2014 ordered agencies last week to suspend normal procedures in an effort to speed some water projects and buy the city more time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith each passing day, the options that we have available to us diminish,\u201d said Bob Paulison, director of the Coastal Bend Industries Association, which works with 21 companies that could be impacted by the shortages, plus the Port of Corpus Christi. \u201cI thought we learned that lesson 15 years ago [during the last major drought] \u2026 and we\u2019re learning it again the hard way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Companies reached by The Texas Tribune said they remain confident that they can remain operational during a water shortage. However, ExxonMobil and Flint Hills Resources are both seeking alternative sources of water, according to the companies.<\/p>\n

Flint Hills Resources operates two refineries in Corpus Christi that turn up to 350,000 barrels per day of crude oil into fuels that it distributes to different markets, including San Antonio, Austin, Waco and Dallas-Fort Worth.<\/p>\n

A company spokesperson said Flint Hills Resources has begun working with local officials on plans to draw wastewater from the city\u2019s Allison Wastewater Treatment Plant. The company hopes to install temporary filtration equipment it expects will allow it to draw and use 1.5 million gallons a day. It\u2019s unclear when those plans would come online.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are optimistic we will be able to manage the potential curtailment scenarios without significantly disrupting our operations,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

Flint Hills is so far the only refinery with an agreement to draw water from the wastewater plant, approved by the Corpus Christi City Council in late January<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ExxonMobil, along with Saudi Arabia-based Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, jointly operates a plastics manufacturing facility in nearby San Patricio County. The companies say they are exploring alternative water sources that are not currently used for public consumption.<\/p>\n

The three facilities owned by the two companies are among the largest volume users of Corpus Christi\u2019s municipal water supply.<\/p>\n

The region\u2019s refining capacity is close to 1 million barrels of refined products per day, including 450,000 barrels of gasoline, or about 5% of the nation\u2019s supply of refined products, said Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil & Gas Association.<\/p>\n

The oil and natural gas industry also supports about 115,000 jobs in the Coastal Bend region, crucial pieces of the regional and state economies that are now at risk, Staples said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndustry subject matter experts will continue to work collaboratively with city officials to ensure the Coast Bend region thrives and contributes to delivering the power that fuels our modern way of life,\u201d Staples said. \u201cTime is of the essence, because a prolonged water shortage will have yet-to-be determined consequences on the production capacity of facilities that are served by the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paulison, the industrial association director, said the companies he represents launched water reduction measures long ago. He said Corpus Christi has grappled with drought for nearly five years.<\/p>\n

The association\u2019s companies produce a mix of diesel, jet fuel, refrigerants and bulk ibuprofen for markets both local and across the country.<\/p>\n

Paulison said the companies have taken steps to reduce water usage, such as washing vehicles and equipment less frequently and using saltwater where possible. Companies have also bolstered leak detection and repair, he said, adding that they are also fast-tracking projects to use treated wastewater and lessen their reliance on the city\u2019s water supply.<\/p>\n

The companies\u2019 goal \u201cis to continue to operate, even in a Level 1 [water] emergency,\u201d Paulison said. \u201cWhat we\u2019re focusing on is operating and continuing to supply customers with product.\u201d<\/p>\n

Industry leaders called on state and local officials to find solutions to the water problem quickly. They said Texas\u2019 nation-leading oil and gas producers depend on the city\u2019s refining capacity<\/p>\n

\u201cThe local economy and the country’s energy picture rely heavily on Corpus Christi’s role as a key processing, transport and export point for oil and gas coming from the Eagle Ford, Permian and other [oil-producing] basins,\u201d Longanecker, the trade group president, said. \u201cThousands of jobs depend on it. Reliable water supplies are essential to keep everything running smoothly during this shortage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alejandra Martinez contributed to this report.<\/p>\n

Disclosure: Texas Oil & Gas Association has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete\u00a0list of them here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> first appeared on The Texas Tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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