“Due to the severe weather and freezing temperatures across our state, many power companies have been unable to generate power, whether it’s from coal, natural gas, or wind power,” said Governor Abbott.
Coal and gas plants are a LOT more complicated than just "burn fuel, get electricity".
Same way you freeze any gas, low temperature and/or high pressure. Looks like natural gas specifically can freeze, especially before refined, with presence of water at pretty reasonable conditions if your pipes aren't insulated well.
It's damn near impossible to freeze Nat Gas- requiring temps lower than -300F. Liquefaction takes place at near -250.
Although water vapor can freeze up valves on the way to the first 'wet gas' refinement plant, it's squeezed out of the supply almost immediately. If that were the case, 2/3rds of the country would be screwed... it would lower the gas suply for everyone, not just TX.
The big problem here is that most of the NG produced in TX ends up in big interstate pipelines, compressed at 600-800 psi. Getting that to homes, businesses and even power plants requires local distribution infrastructure , which is completely overtaxed in TX right now.
There is a lot of water vapor in natural gas. Coming out of the ground, it's shit hot, but as it travels in pipes near the surface, it cools.
Second, is that, normally, Oklahoma weather is 90 degrees from April to October. There is ZERO winter, as it is known up north. Thus, the system is not prepared for snow, ice, cold temperatures. Pipes freeze, wall insulation is a parody, even small ice loads take out power, and streets are snot on a glass door knob slick, and impassable. The best you can expect is sand on the major intersections, maybe... Add to that people who have never been out of the state, except to Branson for a week, and have no idea of how to drive on snow or ice.
There is a state law that if a snow flake hits the ground, drive into something solid to stop...
Why don't we have these problems every year? Kansas sees single digit temps every year, these kind of artic blasts happen once every 7-10 years, maybe not as long as this one though. I just think there's something else going on.
I don't believe that for a minute. Gas and Coal plants literally generate heat. That's what they do. They self defrost.
https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-sends-additional-resources-to-local-officials-throughout-texas
Coal and gas plants are a LOT more complicated than just "burn fuel, get electricity".
How do you freeze a gas? It's that cold in Texas?
Same way you freeze any gas, low temperature and/or high pressure. Looks like natural gas specifically can freeze, especially before refined, with presence of water at pretty reasonable conditions if your pipes aren't insulated well.
It's damn near impossible to freeze Nat Gas- requiring temps lower than -300F. Liquefaction takes place at near -250. Although water vapor can freeze up valves on the way to the first 'wet gas' refinement plant, it's squeezed out of the supply almost immediately. If that were the case, 2/3rds of the country would be screwed... it would lower the gas suply for everyone, not just TX.
The big problem here is that most of the NG produced in TX ends up in big interstate pipelines, compressed at 600-800 psi. Getting that to homes, businesses and even power plants requires local distribution infrastructure , which is completely overtaxed in TX right now.
There is a lot of water vapor in natural gas. Coming out of the ground, it's shit hot, but as it travels in pipes near the surface, it cools.
Second, is that, normally, Oklahoma weather is 90 degrees from April to October. There is ZERO winter, as it is known up north. Thus, the system is not prepared for snow, ice, cold temperatures. Pipes freeze, wall insulation is a parody, even small ice loads take out power, and streets are snot on a glass door knob slick, and impassable. The best you can expect is sand on the major intersections, maybe... Add to that people who have never been out of the state, except to Branson for a week, and have no idea of how to drive on snow or ice. There is a state law that if a snow flake hits the ground, drive into something solid to stop...
Why don't we have these problems every year? Kansas sees single digit temps every year, these kind of artic blasts happen once every 7-10 years, maybe not as long as this one though. I just think there's something else going on.