Final answer:
The company subject of the documentary "The Smartest Guys in the Room" that now operates as EOG Resources is Enron. Concerns about oligopolies in the energy sector are common, as seen with the Kinder Morgan merger, where people wonder if cost savings will be transferred to consumers or if the firm will control the market.
Step-by-step explanation:
The energy company that continues to operate its oil and gas business under the name "EOG Resources" and is the subject of the documentary "The Smartest Guys in the Room" is Enron. After the scandal, Enron's old assets were reorganized, and EOG Resources emerged as an independent company.
When it comes to mergers and acquisitions within the energy market, such as the Kinder Morgan deal, concerns often arise about the potential formation of an oligopoly and its effects on the market. Policymakers and the public alike debate whether such conglomerates will pass on cost savings to consumers or if they will leverage their dominant market position to control pricing and supply, thus hindering competition and disadvantaging consumers.
Considering the global importance of energy, any significant shifts in this sector face heavy scrutiny and can lead to substantial debate about the long-term impact on markets and consumers. In the case of Kinder Morgan, the acquisition gave them control over a vast network of pipelines, prompting speculation about whether this would benefit consumers by reducing costs or create a strong oligopoly position in the natural gas marketplace.