[1][2] In 2005, Houghtaling served as special counsel to the Attorney General of Louisiana in the litigation of policyholder rights in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

[citation needed] In 2014, Houghtaling was appointed as plaintiffs liaison counsel by the United States Federal Court for the Eastern District.

Houghtaling later became the CEO of Ocean Therapy Solutions, an oil service company he founded with business partner, Kevin Costner.

Houghtaling served as government Liaison Counsel for British Petroleum in the aftermath of the Horizon oil spill disaster in negotiations between BP and the State of Louisiana.

Houghtaling has signed conditionally bindings contracts to supply 7.2 million tons a year of ethane to China, a sale volume that exceeds 72 billion dollars.