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Released July 14, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
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Written by Aaron Studwell for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--At any given instant, approximately 2,000 thunderstorms are active across the globe, producing around 100 lightning strikes every second. That adds up to an estimated 1.4 billion flashes each year; while the majority is concentrated across tropical regions, no corner of the planet is immune.
From the plains of North America to coastal liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in Asia, lightning is a constant and dangerous force of nature. For natural gas infrastructure--whether pipelines, processing plants, or LNG terminals--lightning presents a uniquely volatile risk, capable of igniting fires, damaging critical systems and disrupting supply.
Cloud-to-ground lightning forms when electrical charges separate due to updraft within the storm, creating an imbalance between the atmosphere and the ground. When this imbalance becomes large enough, a discharge occurs. A single bolt of lightning can carry over 30,000 amps of current and reach temperatures of 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This energy is more than enough to ignite flammable vapors, rupture equipment, and compromise sensitive electronics. In natural gas operations, where pressurized or cryogenic substances are stored or transported, these conditions are especially hazardous.
Click on the image at right for a NASA image showing global regions with high numbers of lightning strikes.
Recent incidents across North America highlight this ongoing threat. In Beloit and Rock County, Wisconsin, lightning strikes in early July triggered widespread reports of a natural gas odor. Though no leaks were found, the event prompted a thorough emergency response and underscored how even a perceived threat can create public concern and operational scrutiny.
In Corinth, Mississippi, a lightning strike led to a gas-fed fire at a distribution facility. First responders contained the blaze, but the underlying ignition source was traced directly to atmospheric electricity. Similar events have occurred in Oregon and Alabama, where gas lines were ruptured or sparked by lightning during severe weather outbreaks.
Other types of energy facilities are not immune to the threat. On July 10, lightning struck a storage tank at CITGO Petroleum Corporation's (Houston, Texas) 463,000 barrel-per-day (BBL/d) refinery in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Despite the tank's ignition, the facility remained operational; emergency crews worked about 3.5 hours to extinguish the blaze. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Petroleum Refining Plant Database can click here for the plant profile.
Globally, these incidents are far from isolated. According to research and industry monitoring, lightning contributes to numerous fires and shutdowns at gas and petrochemical sites each year. The risks increase as the LNG market expands, particularly in coastal and equatorial regions where lightning density is highest. The complexity and cost of LNG facilities--often in the billions of dollars--make even brief shutdowns consequential. But beyond financial loss, the human and environmental stakes are high.
The industry has responded with multiple layers of protection. Real-time lightning detection networks are now standard at many facilities, giving operators critical lead time to secure systems or halt certain processes. Physical infrastructure is also evolving--lightning rods, ground meshes and surge protection devices are designed to safely redirect or absorb a strike before it can cause ignition or mechanical damage. Internally, sensitive control systems are being hardened with redundancy, isolation and shielding to ensure operability under stress. Operational protocols add another safety layer, as some facilities now preemptively shut down or restrict activity when nearby lightning is detected.
Still, no mitigation strategy is infallible. The unpredictability and energy of lightning require constant vigilance, especially in regions with high strike densities. As more countries invest in natural gas as a transitional fuel, and as infrastructure spreads into storm-prone areas, lightning preparedness is no longer just a best practice--it's a necessity. From Freeport to Fujian, protecting natural gas facilities from the sky above is an evolving challenge, but one the industry cannot afford to ignore.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
From the plains of North America to coastal liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in Asia, lightning is a constant and dangerous force of nature. For natural gas infrastructure--whether pipelines, processing plants, or LNG terminals--lightning presents a uniquely volatile risk, capable of igniting fires, damaging critical systems and disrupting supply.
Cloud-to-ground lightning forms when electrical charges separate due to updraft within the storm, creating an imbalance between the atmosphere and the ground. When this imbalance becomes large enough, a discharge occurs. A single bolt of lightning can carry over 30,000 amps of current and reach temperatures of 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This energy is more than enough to ignite flammable vapors, rupture equipment, and compromise sensitive electronics. In natural gas operations, where pressurized or cryogenic substances are stored or transported, these conditions are especially hazardous.
Recent incidents across North America highlight this ongoing threat. In Beloit and Rock County, Wisconsin, lightning strikes in early July triggered widespread reports of a natural gas odor. Though no leaks were found, the event prompted a thorough emergency response and underscored how even a perceived threat can create public concern and operational scrutiny.
In Corinth, Mississippi, a lightning strike led to a gas-fed fire at a distribution facility. First responders contained the blaze, but the underlying ignition source was traced directly to atmospheric electricity. Similar events have occurred in Oregon and Alabama, where gas lines were ruptured or sparked by lightning during severe weather outbreaks.
Other types of energy facilities are not immune to the threat. On July 10, lightning struck a storage tank at CITGO Petroleum Corporation's (Houston, Texas) 463,000 barrel-per-day (BBL/d) refinery in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Despite the tank's ignition, the facility remained operational; emergency crews worked about 3.5 hours to extinguish the blaze. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Petroleum Refining Plant Database can click here for the plant profile.
Globally, these incidents are far from isolated. According to research and industry monitoring, lightning contributes to numerous fires and shutdowns at gas and petrochemical sites each year. The risks increase as the LNG market expands, particularly in coastal and equatorial regions where lightning density is highest. The complexity and cost of LNG facilities--often in the billions of dollars--make even brief shutdowns consequential. But beyond financial loss, the human and environmental stakes are high.
The industry has responded with multiple layers of protection. Real-time lightning detection networks are now standard at many facilities, giving operators critical lead time to secure systems or halt certain processes. Physical infrastructure is also evolving--lightning rods, ground meshes and surge protection devices are designed to safely redirect or absorb a strike before it can cause ignition or mechanical damage. Internally, sensitive control systems are being hardened with redundancy, isolation and shielding to ensure operability under stress. Operational protocols add another safety layer, as some facilities now preemptively shut down or restrict activity when nearby lightning is detected.
Still, no mitigation strategy is infallible. The unpredictability and energy of lightning require constant vigilance, especially in regions with high strike densities. As more countries invest in natural gas as a transitional fuel, and as infrastructure spreads into storm-prone areas, lightning preparedness is no longer just a best practice--it's a necessity. From Freeport to Fujian, protecting natural gas facilities from the sky above is an evolving challenge, but one the industry cannot afford to ignore.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
