Commissioner Christi Craddick Elected Chairman of the RRC

AUSTIN, Texas — RRC Commissioner Wayne Christian today called on Texas oil and gas producers, pipeline operators and other energy companies to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses amid recent cyberattacks involving Texas-bound energy tankers and federal warnings that foreign adversaries and other malicious cyber actors are targeting internet-facing operational technology and industrial control systems.

“Texas is the energy capital of the world, and that makes our energy infrastructure a prime target for foreign adversaries,” Christian said. “When the cost of hesitation exceeds the cost of preparation, common sense says we act now to protect vital energy infrastructure from cyber threats. We must invest, test, monitor and strengthen our defenses now, before adversaries like China or Iran exploit a weakness and disrupt America’s energy security.”

In August, the Coast Guard and FBI boarded two foreign-flagged energy vessels bound for the United States after indications that foreign cyber actors had compromised their networks. One, the 1,093-foot VL Prosperity, was a Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker bound for Galveston and capable of carrying roughly 2.3 million barrels of oil. Federal officials have not publicly attributed the attacks to a specific country or group.

The incidents come amid separate federal warnings that China-linked and Iran-affiliated cyber actors are targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, including internet-connected operational technology and industrial control systems, highlighting the growing cybersecurity risks facing America’s energy infrastructure.