Texas Standard
Texas Extra: Introducing Season 3 of The Disconnect: Power, Politics and the Texas Blackout
Feb 16, 2025
Joining the discussion is Paige Foshee, a seasoned oil and gas landman with four decades of experience and deep East Texas roots. She dives into the dramatic history of the Texas oil industry, spotlighting a conman who duped farmers during the East Texas oil boom. The conversation also explores the transformative Daisy Bradford No. 3 well and its role in shaping local communities and state regulations. Foshee highlights the ongoing debate over natural gas versus renewables in Texas's energy future.
33:24
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Quick takeaways
- The 2021 Texas blackout revealed vulnerabilities in the state's power grid, exacerbated by a reliance on natural gas despite its historical failures.
- The podcast traces the origins of oil and gas regulation in Texas, highlighting how early discoveries shaped the industry's political landscape and conflicts.
Deep dives
The Texas Blackout Crisis
The February 2021 blackout in Texas stemmed from extreme cold, resulting in power outages for 4.2 million homes and over 260 deaths. A critical factor in the blackout was the failure of natural gas to reach power plants, highlighting the vulnerability of the state's power grid designed for isolation. The crisis sparked significant debate regarding accountability and oversight in the energy sector, particularly for the natural gas industry, which historically wields immense political and economic power. This incident raised urgent questions about Texas's energy policies and the ongoing risk of future blackouts under similar weather conditions.
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