Natural Gas Industry
Raborn L. Reader, Jr.
Texas Pipeline Association
1
Introduction






Overview
Hurricane Event
Cold Weather Event
Curtailment Process
Black Start
Regulating Agencies
2
Terminal Objectives
 Identify the natural gas end users.
 Identify related issues during a Hurricane Event.
 Identify related issues during a Winter Weather
Event.
 Identify the first priority during the curtailment
process.
 Identify the regulating agencies for the gas
industry.
3
4
U.S. Natural Gas Pipeline Network
5
States Dependent on Natural Gas
Pipelines
6
U.S. Natural Gas Pipeline
Compressor Stations
7
Southwest Region Natural Gas
Pipeline Network
8
Intrastate Natural Gas Pipelines
9
U.S. Underground Natural Gas
Storage Facilities
10
Depleted Reservoir Storage Well
11
Salt Cavern Underground Storage
12
Natural Gas Transmission Path
13
Hurricane Event
Preparation
Hurricane Plans
Training
Communications
Alert Levels
Level 1 – Gulf Coast/East Coast
Level 2 – Hurricane Watch
Level 3 – Hurricane Warning
14
Hurricane Event
During Storm
Post Storm Period
Storm Related Issues
Electrical Outages
Transmission Related
Distribution Related
Gas Supply
Offshore
On Land
15
Winter Event
Preparation
Gas Control
Volume Management
Operations
Alert Levels
Level 1 - Normal Conditions
Level 2 – Artic Front 2 days from Region
Level 3 – Severe Winter Weather caused
by Artic Conditions
16
Winter Event
During Event
After Event
Cold Weather Related Issues
Electrical Outages
Transmission Related
Distribution Related
Gas Supply
Ice/Freeze-Offs
Rotating Load Shedding
17
Black Start
Normal Conditions
Power Plant
Power Plant
Power Plant
Gas Processing Plant
Gas Processing Plant
Compressor Station
Compressor Station
Underground Storage
Gathering Field
Compressor Station
Gas Processing Plant
18
Black Start
1st Hour
Black Start
Unit-1
Black Start
Unit-2
Black Start
Unit-3
Gas Processing Plant
Gas Processing Plant
Compressor Station
Compressor Station
Underground Storage
Gathering Field
Compressor Station
Gas Processing Plant
19
Black Start
Beginning of Hour 1
Black Start
Unit-1
Island #1 – TO #1
Island #3 – TO #3
Island #2 – TO #2
Underground Storage
on back-up Generator
Gas Processing Plant
Compressors on
back-up Generator
20
Black Start
By End of Hour 1
Black Start
Unit-1
Island #1 – TO #1
Gas Processing Plant
Energized
Island #3 – TO #3
Island #2 – TO #2
Underground Storage
Energized
Gas Processing Plant
Energized
21
Black Start
Hour 2
Black Start
Unit-1
Gas Processing Plant
Black Start
Unit-3
Black Start
Unit-2
Island #1 – TO #1
Island #3 – TO #3
Compressor Station
Energized
Compressor Station
Energized
Gas Processing Plant
Energized
Island #2 – TO #2
Gathering Field
Compressor Station
Energized
Underground
Storage
Gas Processing Plant
22
Black Start
Hour 3 and later
Black Start
Unit-1
Black Start
Unit-2
Black Start
Unit-3
Black Start
Unit-4
Gas Processing Plant
Gas Processing Plant
Compressor Station
Compressor Station
Underground Storage
Gathering Field
Compressor Station
Gas Processing Plant
23
Black Start
Black Start Gas Coordination Group
 Formed in late 2013 and comprised of
 ERCOT
 Transmission Service Providers (TSPs)
 Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs)
 Resource Entities (REs)
 Gas Transmission Operators (GTOs)
 Gas Suppliers (GSs)
 Address coordination of gas supplies during Black Start
 Development of Gas Black Start Restoration Plans
 Identify critical gas facilities/infrastructure
 Identify transmission/distribution suppliers
24
Curtailment Program
Priorities
 A – use in residences, hospitals, schools, churches, public




safety buildings, agriculture
B – (1) small commercial/industrial customers
(2) plant protection to prevent danger to personnel and
facilities
(3) for human needs at commercial and industrial sites
(4) power generation for start up, safety and flame
stabilization
C – medium size commercial customers
D – medium size industrial customers
E – (1) industrial customers for feed stocks
(2) small public utility electric generating systems
25
Curtailment Program
Priorities
 F – power generating plants for electricity to serve customers




in A above and small commercial/industrial costumers
G – (1) medium size commercial customers
(2) small industrial not qualifying in B, C, D or E above
H – power generating plants for electricity not included in F
and B (4) above
I – (1) large users with no alternative fuels
(2) Feedstock as defined in E above with greater
consumption
J – boiler fuel and other indirect flame applications not
qualifying under a preceding priority
26
Curtailment Program
Priorities
 K – Interruptible sales – Railroad Commission requires

interruptible sales interrupted prior to curtailment of
A through J above.
L – Interstate sales – these are to be interrupted prior to
beginning curtailment of A through K above and as
required by law.
27
Regulatory Agencies
 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)







Natural Gas Section
U.S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS)
Texas Railroad Commission (RRC)
Texas Attorney General
Texas General Land Office
Texas Comptroller’s Office
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
Texas Pubic Utility Commission (TxPUC)
28
Texas Energy Profile
29
Questions
30
1. The end user of natural gas is ______________.
a) Residential
b) Commercial
c) Electric Power Generators
d) All of the above
31
2. During a Hurricane storm the related issues are
______________.
a) Electrical outages
b) Gas supply
c) Both a and b
d) high consumer demand
32
3. During a winter weather event the related
issues are ______________.
a) Electrical outages
b) Gas supply
c) Low consumer demand
d) Both a and b
33
4. The first priority to maintain service during a
curtailment is residences, _____________,
schools, churches, public safety buildings and
agriculture.
a) Hospitals
b) Small public utility generators
c) Medium sized industrial customers
d) Medium sized commercial customers
34
5. One of the regulating agencies for the natural
gas industry is _____________.
a) FERC – Natural Gas Section
b) Texas RE
c) NERC
d) ERCOT compliance
35