WE
WE WENT
WE WENT TO THE OIL AND GAS FIELDS TO GET ANSWERS.
REPORTER: WHEN THE WINTER STORMS
HIT MIDLAND+@, THE EPICENTER OF
OIL AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION,
HE SAYS HIS COMPANY TRIED TO DO
WHAT IT COULD TO GET ITS WELLS
READY TO KEEP RUNNING IN THE
FR+@EEZING COLD.
FR+@EEZING COLD. >> WE START PREPARING ALL OF OUR
STUFF TO BE AS WINTERIZED A+@S
POSSIBLE WHICH IN TEXAS, IS
DIFFICULT BECAUSE WERE NOT SET
UP FO+@R SUBZERO TEMPERATURES.
REPORTER: JUST LIKE MUCH OF
TEXAS, OIL AND GAS WELLS HAD
THEIR+@ POW+@ER TURNED OFF TO HP
KEEP THE ELECTRIC GRADE FROM
COLLAPSING.
COLLAPSING. THAT INCLUDED EVERYONE OF DOUBLE
EAGLE'S 650 WELLS.
>> THIS IS OUR WHOLE BUSINESS.
WE G+@O IN PRODUCING THESE WEL+S
TO ZERO, THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A
HUGE HIT FOR OUR BUSINESS AND
NOT GOOD FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.
REPORTER: IT ALSO MATTERS A LOT
IN NORTH TEXAS BECAUSE WHEN
WELLS FREEZE, AND MEANS LESS
ELECTRICITY IS AVAILABLE FOR US.
NATURAL GAS IS A PRIMARY+@ FUEL
USED BY MANY POWER PLANTS TO
MAKE ELECTRICITY WHEN THERE IS
NO NATURAL GAS, POWER PLANTS
CANNOT RUN.
CANNOT RUN. THEY DON'T RUN, THERE IS NO
ELECTRICITY TO KEEP OIL PUMPS
WORKING AND THE GAS FLOWING.
>> THIS IS BASICALLY A BIG
COMPUTER THAT IS OPERATING
PU+@MPING UNIT, BUT IT ALL NEEDS
ELECTRICITY TO RUN.
WITHOUT THE VERY FIRST PIECE,
THERE IS+@ NO POWER COMING INTO
THE CONTROL PANEL, THIS THING
DOES NOT OPERAT+@E.
IT OBVIOUSLY TAKES POWER TO RUN
AND LET YOU STAY WHAT YOU LOSE
IT, WE ARE DEAD IN THE WATER.
REPORTER: POWER PLANTS FIELD BY
+@
+@ NATURAL GAS GENERATE 47%
ELECTRICITY ON THE GRID.
>> IS ALL CONNECTED.
IF WE LOSE POWER AT OUR WELL
SITES SO WE CAN'T PRODUCE
NATURAL GAS THAT NEEDS TO GO TO
THE GASPAR PLANTS THEY +@CAN'T N
BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE GAS
FROM OUR WELLS.
REPORTER: TEXAS LAW +@MAKERS AND
REGULARS WERE WA+@RNED AFTER THE
2011 WINTER STORM ABOUT THE
+@
+@ INTERDEPENDENCY OF ELECTRICITY
AND NATURAL GAS.
AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF THEY'RE
NOT IN SYNC.
>> MY HOP+@E IS WE DON'T HAVE A
REPLAY OF WHAT HAPPENED IN 2011.
REPORTER: JOSH RHODES IS AN
ENERGY EXPERT AT UT IN AUSTIN.
>> WE SAW THESE VULNERABLE DAYS,
WE WROTE SOME REPORTS, AND THEY
SAT ON THE SHELF AND REALLY HAD
NO IMPACT.
NO IMPACT. I THINK TEXANS+@ DESERVE BETTE+R
THAN THAT.
THAN THAT. REPORTER: I NAME IS KRISTI
CRADDOCK -- AGENCY REGULATES THE
OIL INDUSTRY.
OIL INDUSTRY. >> THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS
CONNECTED FROM WHEREVER YOU
START TO WHEREVER YOU END,
RIGHT?
RIGHT?
RIGHT? YOU CAN BLAME ONE PIECE OR
ANOTHER, BUT THERE IS A FOOD
CHAIN THAT IS A CIRCULAR
FOODCHAIN SO SPEAK.
REPORTER: THIS IS WHERE A
TWO-PAGE FORM COULD'VE KEPT THE
LIGHTS ON.
LIGHTS ON. SHE TOLD LAWMAKERS+@ SHE GOT NO
BETTER.
BETTER.
BETTER. FORM PUTS FACILITIES THAT
DIRECTLY PROVIDE NATURAL GAS TO
POWER PLANTS ON THE CRITICAL FOR
STRUCTURED LIST.
STRUCTURED LIST. THIS MEANS,+@ DON'T TURN THE POR
OFF TO THOSE ON THE LIST.
WHEN ERCOT SENT POWER HAD+@ TO E
CUT, IT WAS O+@NCOR'S JOB TO STT
TURNING OFF PARTS OF THE GRID.
ONCOR ACTUALLY OWNS THE POWER
LINES AND DESTRUCTION OF THE
KRISTI FOR ABOUT HALF OF THE
STATE, INCLUDING MIDLAND.
IT LISTED ONLY 35 NATURAL GAS
FACILITIES AS CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE BEFORE THE
FEBRUARY STORM.
FEBRUARY STORM. >> DURING THE EVENT WE ADDED NEW
GRASS -- GAS CRITICA+@L FACILITS
AND WE KEPT THEM ON THE ENTIRE
TIME.
TIME.
TIME. >>
TIME. >> HOOSIERS POSSIBILITY IS TO
KEEP THE LIST OR PAY OUR TIES
WHICH IS MORE IMPORT?
>> THOSE PEOPLE HAVE TO TELL ME
WHAT IS CRITICAL SO I CAN KEEP
IT ON.
IT ON.
IT ON. REPORTER: YOU COULD EXPECT FROM
THE RAIL+@ROAD COMMISSION.
AND MAKING SURE THE TWO-PAGE
FORM WAS A PARODY.
>> THEY ARE THE REGULATORS
REGULATE IN THE INDUSTRY.
MAKING SURE CRITICAL FOR
STRUCTURE HAS A POWER IT NEEDS
TO PERFORM DURING THESE TIMES
SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE PART OF
THE REGULATION OF THE INDUSTRY.
REPORTER: MIKE IS A CONSULTANT
HE SAYS REGULARS AND LECTURE
PROVIDERS WENT TO CARE FOR WHAT
COUNTS AS CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE.
INFRASTRUCTURE. >> THIS HAS TO BE PREDETERMINED
SO THERE IS NO, NO ONE CAN MAKE
SO THERE IS NO, NO ONE CAN MAKE@ A CALL TO THE REPRESENTATIVE AND
MAKE SURE THEIR LIGHTS ARE ON AT
SOMEBODY ELSE'S IS NOT.
WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY PLAYING
FAVORITES.
FAVORITES. >>
>>
>> REPORTER: HIS COMPANY IS FILLING
UP THE FORMS FOR 200 OF THE
COMPANIES HIGH SPRUCING WELLS.
>> WE COULD'VE KEPT P+@RODUCING
COMPANIES HIGH SPRUCING WELLS. >> WE COULD'VE KEPT P+@RODUCINGF
WE DO NOT LOSE POWER.
WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT A WAY TO
WORK THROUGH THE COLD IF WE DID
NOT -- IF WE HAD POWER.
ONCE YOU LOST POWER, ALL OF OUR
PREPARATION WENT OUT THE WINDOW
BECAUSE WE COULD NOT KEEP OUR
FLUIDS MOVING ANYMORE+@.
REPORTER: KEEP IN MIND, ANOTHER
+@
+@ PIECE
+@ PIECE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
CONNECTED TO THE RAILROAD
COMMISSION.
COMMISSION. THEY LARGELY DON'T REQUIRE OIL
AND GAS+@ COMPANIES MAKE+@ SURE
+@
AND GAS+@ COMPANIES MAKE+@ SURE THEIR FACILITIES CAN WITHSTAND
EXTREME COLD OR HEAT.
THE COMMISSION HAS LONG RESULTED
CALLS TO MAKE WEATHERIZATION
MANDATORY.
MANDATORY. >> THE OIL F+@IELDS RUN WITHOUT
POWER, MAKING ELECTRICITY BEST
WINTERIZATION TOOL.
WINTERIZATION TOOL. REPRTER:+@ THE FEDERAL PART OF
THIS IS STORM POINTED TO EXTREME
COLD AS A P+@ROBLEM AND THE
DECLINE IN NATURAL GAS
PRODUCTION WAS A RESULT OF
RESULTS.
RESULTS.+@ AS ONE WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS
FREEZE, BLOCKING THE FLOW OF
N+@ATURAL GAS.
N+@ATURAL GAS. THEY ALSO NOTED THAT BEFORE THE
+@
+@ WIDESPREAD ELECTRICITY OUTAGES,
NATURAL GAS REDUCTION HAD
ALREADY AGAIN TO FALL AS A
TEMPERATURES D+@ROPPED.
TEMPERATURES D+@ROPPED. +@
TEMPERATURES D+@ROPPED. HE DOES NOT THINK NATURA+@L GAS
PRODUCERS DID ENOUGH TO PREPARE
FOR THE EXTREME COLD.
>> IF HALF OF OUR POWER PL+@ANTS
WILL BURN NATURAL GAS, WE GOT TO
MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE GAS
AVAILABLE TO US.
REPORTER: DOZENS OF BILLS TO
MAKE FIXES ARE WINDING THEIR WAY
TO THE LEGISLATURE.
ONE KEY BILL WOULD REQUIRE
NATURAL GAS SUPPLY CHAIN TO BE
MAPPED.
MAPPED.
MAPPED. IF PASSED, IT WILL REQUIRE THE
COMMISSION TO ADOPT RULES
REQUIRING WEATHERIZATION.
REQUIRING WEATHERIZATION. WHAT A BE ENOUGH TO KEEP THE
LIGHTS ON NEXT TIME?
ANCHOR: TANYA JOINS US LIVE
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. WE HAVE SO MAY COMMUNITIES WHO
LOST POWER.
LOST POWER. YOURS INCLUDED IN ARLINGTON.
HAVE OFFICIALS MADE ANY CHANGES
+@
+@ TO
+@ TO THOSE FORMS?
REPORTER: THEY DID.
ACTUALLY, WITHIN DAYS OF HIS
WINTER STORM, THEY CHANGE THE
FORM BECAUSE ORIGINALLY IT ONLY
INCLUDED THOSE NATURAL GAS
FACILITIES THAT FED DIRECTLY
INTO POWER PLANTS AND THEY HAVE
+@
INTO POWER PLANTS AND THEY HAVE SINCE EXPANDED IT TO INCLUDE ALL
WELLS AND OTHER PARTS OF NATURAL
GAS INFRASTRUCTURE.
GAS INFRASTRUCTURE. LET'S JUST HOPE PEOPLE START
FILLING OUT THE FORM.
ANCHOR: WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE
STORM EVERY