"Under Texas’ “enforcement discretion” policy, companies were allowed to vent or burn off pollutants, as long as they are reported. Recent weatherization requirements for power plants did not apply to gas processing plants."
"As freezing temperatures swept over West Texas last week, leaky pipeline systems in the Permian Basin of West Texas began to suck in air, spoiling their products, risking an explosion and leading operators to release or burn off vast volumes of gas.
Chevron, for example, reported 11 large gas releases as it sought to purge oxygen from its tanks, according to filings with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Chevron estimated that it released more than 125,000 pounds of regulated pollutants in incidents during the storm. In some cases, Chevron’s tank hatches “remained frozen open,” allowing gas to vent freely for days at a time.
All of the incidents were “directly related to the severe winter weather disaster proclaimed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott,” the company wrote in its reports. In a statement to Inside Climate News, a Chevron spokesperson said the company followed its “winter weather action plans to enable safe, reliable and sustainable operations,” and that safety is its top priority."
Dylan Baddour and Peter Aldhous report for Inside Climate News January 31, 2026.
Advertisement 
