Sul Ross State University

Texas Center for Energy Security

Project

Project Background

The Texas Center for Energy Security was established through a Fiscal Year 2023 Community Project Funding request submitted by U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales (TX-23) and awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The award supports a three-year initiative, with a total budget of nearly $3.4 million including institutional cost share, to build a Center of Excellence in midstream cybersecurity and cyber-forensics.

The project is designed to develop sustainable capacity within Sul Ross State University and Lamar University to address current and emerging vulnerabilities in industrial control systems (ICS) and cyber-physical systems (CPS) used throughout the midstream energy sector. Activities span research, curriculum development, professional training, and community engagement.

Click Here to See our Project Kickoff Presentation!

Testbeds and Laboratory Infastructure

A central feature of the DOE project is the construction of complementary experimental platforms that model midstream operational technology and provide realistic contexts for cybersecurity research and training.
  • A virtual testbed environment simulating cyber-physical processes and adversarial activity.
  • A physical testbed under development at Lamar University, emulating industrial control system architectures.
  • Two dedicated laboratories at Sul Ross State University focused on cybersecurity and digital forensics.
These facilities enable researchers, students, and practitioners to explore attack scenarios, evaluate detection and response strategies, and generate datasets for advanced analytics.

Objectives

  • Develop research capabilities focusing on ICS and CPS cybersecurity for midstream operations.
  • Design and deploy virtual and physical testbeds to support experimentation and data collection.
  • Create new academic courses and continuing education offerings aligned with industry needs.
  • Strengthen regional and national workforce capacity in midstream cybersecurity and digital forensics.
  • Disseminate findings to practitioners, policymakers, and the research community.