Texas’ Big Freeze: The 2021 Power Crisis and the Lessons Learned One Year Later 34

[bimr]

Link

 

[dik]

I suspect very little has really changed...

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[1503-44]

Some couldn't even manage to file the winterization report by the deadline. A sure sign that at least some risks likely remain. Keep your eye on those deadbeats.

 

[cranky108]

Stock up now.

 

[1503-44]

Everything is fine. Just don't look up.

 

[bimr]

More than 70,000 customers without power in Texas. Déjà vu all over again.

 

[dik]

Worst thing is that their knuckles get cold from dragging in the snow.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[JohnRBaker]

We talked to our son in Houston tonight and while they're OK at the moment, it was already 27˚ and they were expecting it to go down to 24˚ before morning and they were expecting the wind chill to go even lower.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

maybe they have turned the gas well heaters on this time

 

[1503-44]

Probably not a lot of them yet. 1 guy. A couple hundred wells.

 

[Fischstabchen]

Curb Your Enthusiasm - Texas Edition

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6895437858438479872/

 

[ACtrafficengr]

Hopefully, this is a case of “People tend to overestimate what can be done in one year and to underestimate what can be done in five or ten years.”

Hopefully.

My glass has a v/c ratio of 0.5

Maybe the tyranny of Murphy is the penalty for hubris. -

http://xkcd.com/319/

 

[Fischstabchen]

I think that we just got lucky. There was an incident in January of this year where a bunch of wells froze and it hadn't even gotten that cold. I don't know. Governor numb nuts said in a conference that the gas producers could inject menthonol I believe to prevent water from freezing. Maybe, they did that. If we could have some load shed without anyone dying, I almost would be for that to potentially get rid of our bought off governor. Our governor is so bad.

If anyone wants an idea of how corrupt Texas's state government is, read up on our attorney general Ken Paxton. The man basically just blocks any investigation into himself because he is the attorney general. Gov. Abbott nor any other republican stands up against this blatant corruption.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Paxton

 

[1503-44]

Hydrates (gassy-ice) can begin to form at 40F.
Injecting methanol is costly and many fields do not have the capability.

 

[dik]

didn't know that about gassy-ice... thanks.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[EdStainless]

There is such a simple way to enforce this, impose a surtax on non-winterized facilities.
They don't have to do it, they are not kept out of the market, they just make less money.
This isn't market distortion; it is trying to compensate for these actors bringing and inferior (unreliable) product to market and claiming that is equivalent to all others.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[1503-44]

This what the gas hydrates look like. Snow cones and slushies.

The gas molecules get caught up in water molecule cages.

Lots of onshore gathering systems are operating at around 100-200 psig, or less in an older field, typically with gas gravities near 0.65, so the danger zone is usually around about 40F. By the time the temp gets down to 32F, if the well heaters are not fired up, they're freezing solid.

 

[TugboatEng]

During fire fighting school we had to practice against propane fires (California emissions rules). It was interesting that after the exercise was done the ground was covered in burning ice cubes.

 

[dik]

Thanks... I had no idea... everyone seems to have more fun than I do.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[AusG]

Good stuff 1503-44, a lovely nasty photo. Ambient temp compounds with the temperature drop from pressure drop at valves and any other restrictions. Restarting up of wells and less-often-used facilities in crisis-avoidance mode, water in old lines etc, is all prime time for these conditions to exist.