Port A city manager: Residents didn't complain about gas outage

KIII 3 News
Author: Wes Wilson, Michael Gibson (KIII)
Published: 6:43 PM CDT March 24, 2023
Updated: 10:28 PM CDT March 24, 2023

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Crews were still working Friday to turn on natural gas throughout Port Aransas one week after the natural gas outage first started. Fewer than 200 homes were still without service by mid-day Friday.

That number was down from around 1,900 at its peak.

City officials said a malfunction at an offshore gas well caused the outage. City Council on Thursday voted not to change natural gas providers. They will continue to use White Marlin Operating Company LLC and Agua Tranquillo Midstream LLC.

Changing timeline for gas restoration

Port Aransas City Manager David Parsons originally estimated gas service would be restored Saturday afternoon. He revised that to Sunday afternoon. Then revised it again to Sunday night. Then again to Monday morning. By Monday night, only 400 of the 1,900 customers had their power restored, and that was the last official message from the city for nearly three days.

3NEWS had numerous calls and emails starting Saturday asking for answers on the natural gas situation.

Parsons told 3NEWS Friday morning that no one complained at the city council meeting Thursday about the natural gas outage or the city's response. He said he would only agree to an interview if the story focused on no one complaining.

3NEWS did not agree to that, but our reporter did go to Port Aransas for the sixth straight day seeking an interview. We were told Parsons was out of the office and was relighting people's natural gas pilot lights and would not be available.

Parsons did speak to the Port Aransas City Council on Thursday night. He said he thinks those remaining without natural gas are likely short-term rental properties.

"We'll just be down to staff doing call outs and getting people turned on," Parsons told City Council Thursday. "It could take weeks."

New system to alert residents about outages

City officials said they are working on an alert system in case a similar outage were to happen again.