Earthworks Logs High-Volume Gas Release at Encinal Facility

Earthworks documented a large release of pollution from a natural gas facility near Encinal on Monday, November 9.

The environmental organization stated that the emissions included methane and other hazardous chemicals. The event was recorded using specialized infrared equipment at the Howard Energy Spears natural gas facility. This site is primarily owned by Howard Energy Partners, a San Antonio-based company described as one of the largest privately held midstream infrastructure firms in the United States.

Andrew Klooster, a senior thermographer at Earthworks, captured the images from the ground. He used an Optical Gas Imaging camera, which visualizes pollutants that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Klooster explained that the camera targets methane, the primary component of natural gas and a major greenhouse gas. The equipment also detects volatile organic compounds such as benzene and toluene, which are co-pollutants with methane and pose risks to human health.

Earthworks has submitted the gathered data to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Klooster noted that the findings require further investigation. He added that seeing these types of emissions is always concerning because they are harmful to the environment and potentially harmful to people nearby.

Satellite data indicates a pattern of emissions from this specific location. The Tanager-1 satellite, deployed in 2024 to track methane and carbon dioxide super-emitters, observed pollution from the facility five times during 2025. The satellite also recorded emissions twice in August 2026 and once in September 2026.

Edgar Villaseñor, the advocacy campaign manager at the Rio Grande International Study Center in Laredo, expressed concern about the lack of oversight in the local oil and gas industry. He said that while rules exist, few people are actually supervising the facilities. Villaseñor described the TCEQ as industry-favorable and stated that he wants the agency to hold these companies more accountable for protecting the quality of life in the area.

Earthworks believes the November 9 event may qualify as a super-emitter event. The Environmental Protection Agency defines such an event as having an emissions rate of 100 kilograms per hour or greater. Howard Energy Partners did not respond to a request for comment regarding the documented release.