A Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) spokesperson has revealed to Rigzone that the organization has not seen an overall impact on production, despite wildfires in the state.
“We understand production may fluctuate as companies take measures to protect their employees and facilities,” the spokesperson told Rigzone when asked if the wildfires have affected oil and gas output.
“With that said, we have not seen overall impact on oil and gas production over the past few days,” the spokesperson added.
When Rigzone asked the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) if oil and gas production in Texas had been affected by the fires, TIPRO’s President, Ed Longanecker, said, “given the sheer magnitude of the wildfires, some disruptions will likely occur”.
Longanecker added, however, that “the full scope and any damage related to equipment that may impact production or related infrastructure in the near term are unknown at this time”.
“Access has been limited, or in some case nonexistent, to wellsites due to highway closures. TIPRO members in the region enacted emergency plans and wildfire protocols to their protect workers, equipment, and the surrounding environment,” Longanecker told Rigzone.
Rigzone also contacted Houston-headquartered Phillips 66, which describes itself as a leading diversified and integrated downstream energy provider, to see if the company had been affected by the wildfires.
In response, a Phillips 66 spokesperson confirmed that all of the company’s employees in the Texas/Oklahoma Panhandle region are safe but added that several have experienced home and property damage.
“There are no significant impacts to assets at this time,” the spokesperson told Rigzone.
“We also want to add that some of our employees are assisting in the response efforts as volunteer firefighters and as part of our Borger Complex Fire Department,” the spokesperson added.
“The safety of our people and the communities in which we serve are of the highest importance to our company, and we extend our deepest sympathies to all of those who have been affected,” the spokesperson continued.
Largest Wildfire in Texas History
In a release posted on its website on February 29, the Texas A&M Forest Service noted that the largest wildfire in Texas history was actively burning that day.
“The Smokehouse Creek Fire in Hutchinson County is burning a total of 1,075,000 acres across Texas and Oklahoma and is three percent contained,” the service stated in that release.
“Since Sunday, February 25, Texas A&M Forest Service has responded to 56 wildfires burning more than 1,256,328 acres,” it added.
In that release, Wes Moorehead, the Texas A&M Forest Service Fire Chief, said, “strong winds and warm temperatures have resulted in grasses drying across many portions of Texas”.
“As firefighters continue to suppress active fires, we urge Texans to be cautious with any outdoor activity that may cause a spark,” he added.
In a separate statement posted on its site on February 29, the Texas A&M Forest Service announced that it responded to six new requests for assistance on wildfires burning 740 acres across the state.
“The fire environment will be cooler today across the Texas Panhandle where multiple large fires are established,” the service said in that statement, adding that “fire activity today will not be as resistant to suppression efforts compared to Monday and Tuesday”.
The service went on to state, however, that “the potential for wildfire activity will increase for the Plains on Saturday and more so on Sunday when strong winds are possible across West Texas”.
According to that statement, there are currently four active wildfires. These comprise the Grape Vine Creek Fire in Gray County, which the service said was 60 percent contained, the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Hutchinson County, which it said was three percent contained, the Windy Deuce Fire in Moore County, which it said was 30 percent contained, and the Magenta Fire in Oldham County, which did not include a containment percentage.
There are six fully contained wildfires – the W Creek Fire, the Cass 0347 Fire, the Upshur 0341 Fire, the Nacogdoches 0343 Fire, the Newton 0345 Fire, and the Orange 0346 Fire – the statement highlighted.
Working Around the Clock
On Thursday, the Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott said hundreds of state and local first responders “continue working around the clock to contain multiple wildfires across the Texas Panhandle”.
“Over the course of the next several days, the potential for wildfire activity will increase for the Plains,” a statement posted on the Texas Governor’s site said.
“Texans are encouraged to follow directions from officials, limit activities that may cause sparks or flames, and keep emergency supplies easily accessible,” it added.
That statement announced that Governor Abbott had granted waivers for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV), and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) “as Texas continues surging all available resources to support Texans and communities impacted by wildfires across the state”.
On Wednesday, the Office of the Texas Governor announced that Abbott had directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to deploy additional state emergency response resources to support wildfire response operations “as ongoing wildfires impact the Texas Panhandle”.
“The governor also directed TDEM to increase the readiness level of the Texas State Emergency Operations Center (SOC) to Level II (Escalated Response) in support of the state’s around the clock response,” a statement posted on the Texas Governor’s site said.
That statement also noted that, in response to a request from the State of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) request for the Smokehouse Creek Fire and Windy Deuce Fire, “meaning that Texas will be eligible for 75 percent reimbursement from the federal government for costs associated with fighting those fires”.
“As dangerous wildfires continue to impact the Texas Panhandle, I directed TDEM to immediately deploy additional wildfire response resources to ensure the safety of Texans and impacted communities,” Governor Abbott said in the statement.
“Thank you to our federal partners at FEMA for quickly approving Texas’ request for grant assistance as we continue to fight these dangerous wildfires. I encourage Texans in affected areas to heed the guidance of local officials and first responders and to take all necessary precautions to keep your family and loved ones safe,” he added.
“We continue to work alongside TDEM, local officials, and emergency response personnel to provide all available resources to protect our fellow Texans,” Abbott continued.
Disaster Declaration
On February 27, Abbott’s office announced that the governor had issued a disaster declaration for 60 Texas counties “in response to widespread wildfire activity throughout the state”.
“Additional counties may be added if conditions warrant,” the statement noted.
“Governor Abbott also directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to activate additional state emergency response resources to support local firefighters responding to multiple wildfires burning Texas,” the statement added.
In a statement posted on its website on February 28, the RRC revealed that it had activated its team for the State Operations Center (SOC) “during the ongoing wildfires in the Texas Panhandle”.
“As is the case during any emergency, the RRC is ready to respond quickly to ensure the safety of communities and the environment,” the RRC said in the statement.
“RRC staff is in direct contact with other emergency responders at the SOC and will continue to do so until the wildfire threats abate,” it added.
“The Railroad Commission is also maintaining communications with regulated entities in the Panhandle including gas utilities. And the agency is in contact with district office staff who may be impacted in the region,” the RRC continued.
The RRC is the state agency with primary regulatory jurisdiction over the oil and natural gas industry, pipeline transporters, natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline industry, natural gas utilities, the LP-gas industry, critical natural gas infrastructure, and coal and uranium surface mining operations, the organization’s site notes.
The Texas A&M Forest Service conserves and protects the resources and lands of the Lone Star State, according to its site, which notes that the service is one of the lead agencies for incident management in the state.
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