Texas’ natural gas production just froze under pressure
Pike Electric service trucks line up after a snowstorm on February 16th, 2021, in Fort Worth, Texas. Winter storm Uri has brought historic cold weather and power outages to Texas as storms have swept across 26 states with a mix of freezing temperatures and precipitation. | Photo by Ron Jenkins / Getty Images Natural gas wells and pipes ill-equipped for cold weather are a big reason why millions of Texans lost power during frigid temperatures this week. As temperatures dropped to record lows across some parts of the state, liquid inside wells, pipes, and valves froze solid.
Ice can block gas flow, clogging pipes. It's a phenomenon called a freeze-off" that disrupts gas production across the US every winter. But freeze-offs can have outsized effects in Texas, as we've seen this week. The state is a huge natural gas producer - and it doesn't usually have to deal with such cold weather.
Texas relies on natural gas more than any other fuel for its electricity generation
When we think about what's been going on in the last week and why it's...