WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th February, 2021) Natural gas output in the state of Texas hit a daily low on February 17 following a week-long blast of Arctic cold, with production about 45 percent below levels a week earlier, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said.
"Natural gas production in Texas fell almost 45 percent from 21.3 Bcf/d [billion cubic feet per day] during the week ending February 13 to a daily low of 11.8 Bcf/d on Wednesday [February 17]," EIA said Thursday in a report based on data from the consulting firm IHS Markit.
The decline in natural gas production was mostly a result of freeze-offs, which occur when water and other liquids in the raw natural gas stream freeze at the wellhead or in gas gathering pipelines near production activities.
Unlike the relatively winterized natural gas production infrastructure in northern areas of the country, natural gas infrastructure, such as wellheads, gathering lines, and processing facilities in Texas are more susceptible to the effects of extremely cold weather, the report added.
After reaching a daily low on February 17, natural gas production in Texas began increasing as temperatures started to rise. Daily production reached an estimated 20.9 Bcf/d on February 24, only about 0.3 Bcf/d lower than the average in the week ending February 13, according to the report.
