An explosion at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas caused officials to issue a warning for some residents in the west of the city to shelter in place. Flames and a tall plume of smoke were seen rising from the refinery after the incident that Sheriff Zena Stephens said was likely caused by an industrial heater, according to local CBS affiliate station KFDM.
Oil prices were spiking again in early Asian trade on Tuesday, reversing part of the previous session’s steep losses as Iran denied claims that it had engaged in negotiations with the U.S. At the time of writing, West Texas Intermediate had climbed to $91.54, up 3.87%, while Brent crude had risen 3.43% to $103.40.
Curious Minds Corner
Which company took over Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay oil fields in 2019?
Hilcorp acquired Prudhoe Bay from BP, the massive London-based multinational oil and gas company.