August 2016 Â©2016, Greater Houston Partnership Page 1. Energy Still Weak â West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the U.S. benchmark for light sweet. crude, briefly reached $50 per barrel in early June, sparking hope for a prolonged price recov-. ery. Since then, prices have settled in the low- to mid-$40s, reflecting concern about oversup-. ply.
The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean.Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg (31 and 99 lb), making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals.he sea otter inhabits offshore environments, where it dives to the sea floor to forage. It preys mostly on marine invertebrates such as sea urchins, various molluscs and crustaceans, and some species of fish.
The California sea otter, also referred to as the Southern sea otter, is one of three subspecies. The Alaskan and Russian populations that inhabit colder climates once faced extinction, too. Sea otters are protected in U.S. waters under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973.