Post-9/11 Investigations Reveal Oil, Gas Achilles Heel
The sprawling nature of the energy supply chain reveals both its strength and weakness. Consequently, a single act of sabotage at any one point in this chain is unlikely to have a substantial impact on the system as a whole. That is the upside to a decentralized infrastructure.
The downside is that the system is vulnerable to sustained or coordinated attacks. Its web-like nature renders protection a near impossibility. The explosive nature of the commodity in all forms makes oil and gas infrastructure an attractive targetthe fiery, dramatic result ensures extensive media coverage.