The winter months in Texas can be unpredictable, to say the least.
Several times in recent years we have experienced unusually cold temperatures, as well as ice and snow during winter storm Uri in 2021.
We’re also no stranger to extreme heat.
Doesn’t it make you wonder: What happens behind the scenes to keep on our lights and heat when the worst of weather hits?
While most people might think natural gas is a backup for electricity, it’s actually in the forefront as the key to providing the power our electrical grid needs to produce electricity, according to Lisa Coleman, spokesperson with Energy Transfer.
How it works
Coleman said Energy Transfer receives natural gas from producers via gathering pipelines and processes it to create a pure, usable dry gas that burns cleanly.
“We then deliver the natural gas to power plants to create electricity or send it to distribution companies that bring it into neighborhoods,” she said.
How does that equate to helping Texans during extreme weather? Let’s back up to better understand the larger picture.
Natural gas serves as a reliable power generation solution for continuous electricity supply and is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel. Natural gas generates the largest share of electricity in the U.S. at approximately 40%, followed by renewables at 20%.
“Natural gas serves as a complementary energy source to support the intermittent nature of renewables like wind and solar energy,” Coleman said. “If the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining, they can’t provide the power to generate electricity to meet the demand.”
[RELATED: This graph shows how much energy -- on an average day -- is provided by different sources.]
Coleman said that while wind and solar are an important part of the energy mix, it is natural gas that is the most reliable and consistent. For that reason, utility providers look to the natural source to sustain their operations.
“Natural gas saves the day for homes, schools, hospitals and businesses by bringing this consistency the grid needs,” she said.
Keeping gas lines from freezing
Because natural gas contains various liquids before it’s turned into clean, dry gas, Coleman said they have a process to ensure nothing freezes when it’s being piped from point A to point B.
“We insulate and install heat tracing technology on certain above-ground equipment, whereas our underground pipeline systems are naturally insulated,” she said. “We also have ways to ensure that, if the grid goes down, the pipelines and metering stations can continue to function on their own. We have emergency generators at many of our sites, along with specialty equipment, such as hot start engines and steam trucks. We also prepare by stationing personnel at key assets in advance of a storm to ensure we have the proper manpower on hand 24 hours to safeguard our assets.”
Gas reliability
What some might find interesting is that Energy Transfer does not have to rely only on electricity to keep its pipelines and systems running. When extreme weather or high demand is forecasted, Energy Transfer is able to voluntarily remove itself from the electric grid. Its patented Dual Drive Technology can switch seamlessly from electricity to natural gas to power the compressors along its pipelines. This is so electric providers have more power to provide directly to customers.
Coleman said Energy Transfer’s Bammel Facility, just 15 miles north of downtown Houston, has played a major role during recent freezes.
“We were able to keep that facility up and running, which was hugely helpful to ensuring thousands of homes throughout Houston had the natural gas they needed,” she said.
Well before potential bad weather is on the horizon, Coleman said, Energy Transfer prepares by packing extra gas into their pipelines for emergency storage in addition to maximizing their underground gas storage facilities.
“We prepare as much as we can so that when high demand hits the power plants, we can feed them extra gas if needed,” she said.
Cities and entities that sell electricity and gas to consumers can also pre-purchase extra gas so that they are prepared when extreme weather hits.
While there is plenty of debate over the best way for electric companies and city and state entities to handle being ready for extreme weather, Coleman said Energy Transfer does everything it can to be prepared, as well.
“We design and maintain our systems to safely operate in all weather conditions; from extreme cold to extreme heat, and all other weather-related events, including hurricanes,” she said. “Our extensive experience, combined with a significant amount of preparation, enables us to manage our systems and deliver natural gas in a manner that places the needs of humans above all else.”
Click or tap here to learn more about Energy Transfer and natural gas.