NatGas Pipeline Erupts In 500-Foot Fireball In Western Oklahoma

On Tuesday night, a massive explosion was reported on part of a natural gas pipeline near the Texas-Oklahoma border. 

Local media KVII-TV reports emergency responders from across the area, including the Booker Fire Department in neighboring Texas, responded to the pipeline fire near Laverne, Oklahoma, around 9:45 pm local time. 

“Crews from several departments are staged at a safe distance until the gas can be turned off,” Booker Fire Department said in an update. 

Footage uploaded on social media shows the pipeline fire. Several media outlets have said flames reached as high as 500 feet. 

🚨#BREAKING: Significant gas pipeline has exploded releasing massive flames hundreds of feet into the sky ⁰⁰📌#Elmwood | #Oklahoma

Currently, numerous emergency crews and authorities are on-site in Elmwood Oklahoma, responding to a significant uncontrolled gas pipeline… pic.twitter.com/YB7P8Brjv8

— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 31, 2024

🚨#UPDATE: Here is a Nest Cam video capturing the moment when the pipeline explosion initially occurred. pic.twitter.com/Fn71VUnz24

— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 31, 2024

Good question.  

Is it infrastructure sabotage season?

pic.twitter.com/Jqg0gESGr5

— Marc 🇺🇸 (@gopher_marc) January 31, 2024

According to the fire department, the affected part of the NatGas pipeline must be depressurized before fire crews can combat the fire.

US NatGas futures held steady around $2/MMBtu as the pipeline situation did not concern traders. Prices are under pressure on milder weather trends for the Lower 48 through the first half of February. 

The cause of the pipeline fire remains unclear.