Hurricane Harvey exposes Texas vulnerability
Friday, September 1, 2017
Hurricane Harvey exposed a weakness in coastal Texas where much of the nation’s refinery capacity and chemical production have been concentrated along the swamps and narrow inlets of the Gulf of Mexico, according to the New York Times.
The pounding being endured is likely to be the biggest test to the facilities, risking devastation from storm damage. For energy experts it raises questions about the area’s role as a hub for these critical and environmentally sensitive industries.
In the long term, the energy industry will have to consider the costs of hardening the infrastructure on the Gulf Coast to moving to a different location, such as the eastern Seaboard, according to Michael E. Webber of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.
Learn more: New York Times > Harvey’s toll on energy industry shows a Texas vulnerability
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.