Dallas Fort Worth has a history of gas explosions after heavy rainfall due to the clay soil absorbing the water, expanding, then contracting, causing explosions.
Cynically, I’d bet there’s a solution to this. However, it’d eat into gas company profits and Texas, being a deregulation “paradise”, doesn’t require it in the code, so it doesn’t get done. So occasionally the gas mains spontaneously explode…
There sure is a solution. Stop using gas, at least at the commercial and residential level. Rely on the grid instead. It just doesn’t make any sense to pipe around a dangerous substance like methane. Plus it ties us to one fuel source, as opposed to the grid allowing anything that can produce electricity.
???
Love to live in my exploding city because the ground makes things explode.
Cynically, I’d bet there’s a solution to this. However, it’d eat into gas company profits and Texas, being a deregulation “paradise”, doesn’t require it in the code, so it doesn’t get done. So occasionally the gas mains spontaneously explode…
See also Texas power instability in the winter.
There sure is a solution. Stop using gas, at least at the commercial and residential level. Rely on the grid instead. It just doesn’t make any sense to pipe around a dangerous substance like methane. Plus it ties us to one fuel source, as opposed to the grid allowing anything that can produce electricity.
Similar to an earthquake, the movement of the clay can cause gas pipes to break and leak.