Audit Finds Major Gaps in Texas Natural Gas Winter Preparedness Inspections

A recent report from the Texas State Auditor’s Office shows that state oil and gas inspectors are failing to adequately verify whether natural gas production and delivery systems are ready for severe winter storms. The report criticizes regulators for failing to hold natural gas operators accountable to mandated winter weatherization standards.

The state law requiring these preparations dates back to the 2021 Winter Storm Uri, which caused widespread blackouts across Texas. While often remembered as an electric grid failure, the crisis was also driven by freeze-related breakdowns in the natural gas supply chain.

This disruption limited fuel to power plants, contributing to the prolonged outages. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission later found that over 30% of power plant failures during the storm were due to fuel supply interruptions, nearly all involving natural gas.

In response, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 3, directing the Railroad Commission, the state’s oil and gas regulator, to identify critical parts of the gas supply chain and ensure they can operate during extreme winter weather.

Beginning in December 2022, the Commission conducted inspections of wells, pipelines, and storage facilities to assess winter readiness.

Despite public claims of success, the State Auditor’s report highlights major gaps in enforcement. The current regulatory framework allows gas companies to determine their own winterization standards.

Facilities that made any preparation appear to pass inspections, as shown by only two violations issued out of 8,732 inspections conducted over the 2024 and 2025 winter seasons.

Auditors noted the Commission does not compare facility practices against established best practices, nor does it provide feedback to improve weatherization after inspections.

This hands-off approach means the agency missed opportunities to identify and address vulnerabilities in the natural gas infrastructure critical to Texas’s energy reliability.