One of the main causes of the 2021 blackout in Texas was the failure of natural gas infrastructure. Still, that industry has avoided increased oversight to protect against future failures.
In fact, natural gas remains one of the least regulated parts of our energy system. In this season of The Disconnect: Power, Politics and the Texas Blackout, we explore the history of Texas oil and gas regulation, how the industry — with the help of state officials— became largely self-regulating and what that means for energy reliability in Texas.