The problem was the Texas RRC ignored the oil industry professionals who in 2004 and again in 2011 told them to harden the well heads to freezing temps, bury the gas gathering lines below the frost line depth instead of leaving the plastic lines on the surface, harden the gas water separators as well. Stop removing natural gas engine powered compressor stations for electric ones or have back up diesels at the electric powered ones.
Texas lost more than half it’s gas supply to freezing lines or separators plus electric pumps being cut off by the rolling blackouts. MORE THAN HALF let that sink in. Gas is not stored in Texas it is made from the well heads into the pipelines in minutes from ground to pipeline when those well heads and gas processors froze in half of the supply for the country went off line it became a critical gas shortage which caused gas power plants to drop off line and cascade the failure. Texas came within 5 minutes of the whole power grid going down and a black start being attempted and I say attempted because 13 of 17 of the black start generators also went down due to the freeze and or lack of fuel. Without those black start the grid would have stayed down for MONTHS truly apocalyptic scenarios would happen then. Texas avoid a 3 to six month black out by 5 minutes millions would have died or had to flee. Yes as a matter of fact I am an industry professionals and the RRC ignored us twice maybe they will.listen now.
This post of yours is an excellent rundown of the natural gas side of the issues.
Sadly, there are many more sides.
Wow, two excellent, informative comments! Thanks for weighing in.