News

This week, the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) approved Resolution 23.053 offered by Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright urging the U.S. Department of the Interior to follow the statutory language passed by Congress with respect to the Federal Orphan Well Plugging Program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The IOGCC is comprised of more than 30 oil and gas producing states. The IOGCC resolution further endorses action by Congress to ensure states are provided the necessary flexibility and deference to utilize grant funds in accordance with existing state programs for the purpose of plugging and restoring as many orphan wells and well sites as possible.

“Taxpayer dollars – regardless of their origin – should always be used efficiently and effectively to achieve the desired result. Unfortunately, the Department of the Interior’s draft formula grant guidance fails to adhere to the intent of Congress and would result in fewer wells being plugged than otherwise could be,” said RRC Commissioner Wright. “This resolution, unanimously approved by member states across the political spectrum, reinforces the shared desire for taxpayer funds to be utilized to plug as many orphan wells as possible and asks that the Congressional delegations of IOGCC member states take action to achieve our shared goal of plugging orphan wells.” 

Earlier this year, the RRC submitted comments on the draft formula grant guidance issued by the Department of the Interior.  The RRC maintains the draft guidance place unnecessary administrative burdens that go beyond the scope of the legislation that authorized the well plugging funds. There’s also concern about a proposed phased approach to releasing formula funds, versus releasing the total amount at once.

Today, Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that rules in favor of landowner by considerably narrowing the authority of the federal government to regulate “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA):

“The Supreme Court continues to hand losses to President Biden’s EPA, first with an unconstitutional emissions rule and now an attempt to illegally control water and property rights. I applaud SCOTUS for protecting private property rights and the rule of law, reining-in an out-of-control EPA. The battle over WOTUS isn’t over, but this decision is a solid win for individual liberties.”

A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren. You can learn more about Chairman Christian here.

The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $3,515,243 in fines involving 283 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses at the Commissioners’ Conference on Wednesday. The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the state’s oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety.

Thirty-seven dockets involved $1,204,493 in penalties after operators failed to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings. Master Default Orders can be found on the RRC Hearings Division webpage.

Operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules and assessed $1,625,800 for any oil and gas, LP-Gas, critical infrastructure, or pipeline safety rule violations. Pipeline operators and excavators were assessed $684,950 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules. Master Agreed Orders can be found on the RRC General Counsel webpage.

In the absence of timely motions for rehearing, decisions are final as stated in these final orders.

The Texas Climate Jobs Project and the Ray Marshall Center at the University of Texas at Austin recently released a report claiming proposed Environmental Protection Agency rules to mitigate methane leaks from oil and gas production could create between 19,000 and 35,000 in Texas. Commissioner Christian has this to say on the report:

"For my entire life, liberals have believed that breaking things will grow an economy. Just like a shop owner doesn't grow his business by breaking the window to his shop, you don't grow the Texas economy by breaking the oil and gas industry with anti-oil and gas regulations based on unsettled science from environmental alarmists in Washington DC."

"Imagine the government creates a water moving program where people use buckets to scoop water out of a lake and then dump it back in on the other side 1,000 times. Then the government sends out a press release claiming their program has added 1,000 buckets of water to the lake. That is what these methane rules are like. It is harmful government busy-work that distracts from the real problem, which is energy inflation caused by hostile federal government rules reducing oil and gas production. It is foolish to believe any government law, rule or regulation has created more jobs than it has killed."

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $3,515,243 in penalties involving 283 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses at the Commissioners’ Conference on Wednesday. The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the state’s oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety.

Thirty-seven dockets involved $1,204,493 in penalties after operators failed to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings. Master Default Orders can be found on the RRC Hearings Division webpage.

Operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules and assessed $1,625,800 for any oil and gas, LP-Gas, critical infrastructure, or pipeline safety rule violations. Pipeline operators and excavators were assessed $684,950 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules. Master Agreed Orders can be found on the RRC General Counsel webpage.

In the absence of timely motions for rehearing, decisions are final as stated in these final orders.

AUSTIN – Today, the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new rules for coal and natural gas-fired power plants mandating that they must cut or capture nearly all their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2040. Following the news, Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian was critical of the rules and said the following:

“President Biden’s obsession with ‘net-zero’ is propping up unreliable energy sources that only make our electric grids unstable and leave consumers with higher energy costs,” said Commissioner Christian. “This month the Public Utilities Commission of Texas and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission warned that the retirement of thermal-based energies is leaving our grids extremely vulnerable to power blackouts, and this decision will only lead to less investment in those sources and less reliable energy on our grids.”

A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren. You can  learn more about Commissioner Christian here.

The Railroad Commission of Texas issued a total of 607 original drilling permits in April 2023. The total includes 525 to drill new oil or gas wells, 6 to re-enter plugged wellbores and 69 for re-completions of existing wellbores.

The breakdown of well types for total original drilling permits in April 2023 is: 139 oil, 36 gas, 396 oil and gas, 35 injection, and one other permit.

In April 2023, Commission staff processed 747 oil, 192 gas and 222 injection completions for new drills, re-entries and re-completions.

Detailed data on drilling permits and well completions for the month can be found at this link:

https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/drilling-information/monthly-drilling-completion-and-plugging-summaries/

TABLE 1 – APRIL 2023 TEXAS OIL AND GAS NEW DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS DISTRICT*

*A district map is available on the Railroad Commission of Texas website at https://rrc.texas.gov/media/3bkhbut0/districts_color_8x11.pdf.

Crude oil and natural gas production as reported to the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) for February 2023 came from 160,103 oil wells and 87,153 gas wells.

Crude oil production reported by the RRC is limited to oil produced from oil leases and does not include condensate, which is reported separately by the RRC.  For full oil and gas production statistics, you can visit the links below.

Statewide totals: https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/production-data/texas-monthly-oil-gas-production/

County rankings: https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/production-data/texas-monthly-oil-gas-production-by-county-ranking/

TABLE 1 - February 2023 STATEWIDE PRODUCTION*

* These are preliminary figures based on production volumes reported by operators and will be updated as late and corrected production reports are received.

TABLE 2 - February 2022 STATEWIDE PRODUCTION

TABLE 3 – February 2023 TEXAS TOP TEN CRUDE OIL PRODUCING COUNTIES RANKED BY PRELIMINARY PRODUCTION

TABLE 4 – February 2023 TEXAS TOP TEN TOTAL GAS (GAS WELL GAS & CASINGHEAD) PRODUCING COUNTIES RANKED BY PRELIMINARY PRODUCTION

TABLE 5 – February 2023 TEXAS TOP TEN TOTAL CONDENSATE PRODUCING COUNTIES RANKED BY PRELIMINARY PRODUCTION

AUSTIN – Oil and gas industry trade associations TXOGA and TIPRO released industry job reports highlighting an increase of 1,500 jobs for March in the upstream sector of Texas’ oil and natural gas industry. Following review of the reports, Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian applauded the growth.

“It’s very encouraging to see this industry job growth at a time when it’s facing headwinds from Wall Street and relentless attacks from the Biden Administration,” said Commissioner Christian. “Texas’ oil and gas industry can help relieve the global energy crisis that’s been brought on by radical environmental policies and geopolitical instability. This growth goes to show that peoples’ need for reliable energy is trumping the rush-to-green movement that has attempted to end fossil fuels, and it’s an upward trend that I hope continues.”

According to the reports, upstream (exploration and production) jobs increased over the year by 20,000—or 11.2%. Since an industry low point because of COVID in September 2020, upstream employment has grown by a factor of 26 to 4 and has had an average growth of 1,390 jobs per month. Texas oil and gas companies pay some of the highest job wages in the state with an average salary of about $115,000.

A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren. You can learn more about Chairman Christian here.

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $888,323 in fines involving 230 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses at the Commissioners’ Conference on Tuesday. The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the state’s oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety.

Twenty-six dockets involved $366,763 in penalties after operators failed to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings. Master Default Orders can be found on the RRC Hearings Division webpage.

Operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules and assessed $50,960 for any oil and gas, LP-Gas, critical infrastructure, or pipeline safety rule violations. Pipeline operators and excavators were assessed $470,600 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules. Master Agreed Orders can be found on the RRC General Counsel webpage.

In the absence of timely motions for rehearing, decisions are final as stated in these final orders.

AUSTIN – Today, Commissioner Wayne Christian presided over his 100^th Open Meeting of the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) since assuming office in January 2017. Christian was first elected to serve as Railroad Commissioner in 2016 and was reelected in 2022. Following the public meeting, Commissioner Christian said the following:

“It has been an honor to serve nearly 30 million Texans as a steward, defender and promoter of Texas’ vital oil and gas industry that makes our 21^st century modern way of life possible,” said Commissioner Christian. “Texas is the nation’s largest producer of oil and gas, and I aim to help keep it that way. American oil and gas production is the answer for affordable energy, a more robust economy, and the pathway to stronger national security.”

In 2016, Wayne Christian was elected as the 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner. During his first term, America’s oil and gas reserves doubled with the largest discovery in the Permian Basin revitalizing domestic production[1]. In 2018, under the Trump administration, the U.S. became a net exporter for the first time and helped America overtake Saudi Arabia and Russia as the world’s largest exporter of oil[2]. And in 2022, the U.S. became the world’s largest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exporter[3] with about half of those exports being shipped from Texas LNG terminals[4].

Since assuming office in 2017, Commissioner Christian has ruled on 27,905 agenda items. In that time, the RRC has been commended for its consistent and predictable regulations, quick permitting times, and environmental conservation efforts. The Commission has received numerous awards from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and the Interstate Mining Compact Commission. 

[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielcohen/2018/12/21/americas-oil-and-gas-reserves-double-with-massive-new-permian-discovery/?sh=108c21b22c91

[2] https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=40973

[3] https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53159

[4] https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/fiscal-notes/2022/sep/energy.php 

A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren. You can learn more about Chairman Christian here .

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas is participating in this year’s EarthX Conference and Expo in Dallas this weekend to spread awareness of the commission’s extensive work protecting Texas while regulating the state’s oil and gas industry.

RRC Commissioner Wayne Christian is attending the conference and spoke on a Conservation: A Conservative Perspective panel this afternoon.  

Commissioner Christian speaks on panel

School group at RRC Expo booth

“Contrary to popular belief, fossil fuel usage and a clean environment are not mutually exclusive,” said Commissioner Christian. “In the last 100 years, fossil fuels have helped to save human lives from the elements, provided more food to the starving, lifted people out of poverty, and helped enable our modern, technological way of life in the 21st century. With about 3 billion people on this planet needing access to reliable energy, global energy strategies should be about empowering access to fossil fuels not limiting them.”

For over a century, the RRC has carried out a mission protecting the environment as related to and around energy production. The RRC is taking this opportunity to inform the public about some of the relevant issues and statistics surrounding energy in Texas. 

The agency has evolved over the decades utilizing state-of-the art technology, inspections, and staff expertise to protect groundwater and the safety of residents in a growing state. The RRC has been nationally recognized for many of its programs including but not limited to orphaned well plugging, abandoned mine land restoration, seismicity monitoring, groundwater protection, and surface mining reclamation.  

According to the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA), over the last fifty years the six major pollutants regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency have decreased by 78%. That’s during a period the U.S. economy grew 292%, the population grew 62%, and energy use grew by 43%. And according to the AAPCA there’s been a nearly 10% decrease in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions from 1999-2019, while total energy production in the U.S. increased by 42%.           

AUSTIN- April is Safe Digging Month to remind residents and businesses in our growing state about the importance of calling 811 to prevent dangerous or expensive damage to pipelines and underground utilities when digging.

After calling 811, line locators have 48 hours to arrive and mark any underground utility lines with flags or paint.  Once marked, excavation work can safely begin.

The RRC recently streamlined the agency’s Pipeline Damage Prevention web page to make it much easier to find the resources needed to  start any new projects that require digging, and to report any damages to gas pipelines. This page can be beneficial for anyone who is digging in Texas, including homeowners, electricians, landscapers, and plumbers.

As the chart below shows, telecommunications-related work accounted for the largest portion of damages to struck gas lines that were reported to the RRC in 2022.  

The chart above shows the types of work that resulted in underground pipeline damages.

“When we looked at the number of gas pipeline damages reported from 2020 to 2022, the percentage of incidents from telecom work doubled from 12 to 24 percent,” said Karley Bisbano, RRC Manager for Pipeline Damage Prevention. “It may be because of increased telecommunications demand and network expansion around the state. Whatever the project is, we can’t overemphasize the importance of calling 811 to confirm it’s safe before costly repairs or injuries occur.”

State law requires anyone planning to dig deeper than 16 inches in depth, they must call 811 with a minimum of 48 hours prior to beginning a project so that utilities underground can be properly marked.

We recommend calling the number even when digging less than 16 inches as a safety precaution.

Penalties for violating damage prevention rules begin at $1,000 for each offense. If you are not sure whether your project may be in violation of these requirements, it is best to call to have the area assessed before you begin unearthing valuable utility work.

Location requests can also be filed online at the Texas 811 website at https://www.texas811.org/.

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas issued a total of 1,052 original drilling permits in March 2023. The total includes 922 to drill new oil or gas wells, 10 to re-enter plugged wellbores and 107 for re-completions of existing wellbores.

The breakdown of well types for total original drilling permits in March 2023 is: 272 oil, 55 gas, 672 oil and gas, 42 injection, one service, and 10 other permits.

In March 2023, Commission staff processed 1,126 oil, 260 gas and 836 injection completions for new drills, re-entries and re-completions.

Detailed data on drilling permits and well completions for the month can be found at this link:

https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/drilling-information/monthly-drilling-completion-and-plugging-summaries/

TABLE 1 – MARCH 2023 TEXAS OIL AND GAS NEW DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS DISTRICT*

AUSTIN –– Statewide and county crude oil and natural gas production for January 2023 reported in the tables below came from 160,420 oil wells and 84,146 gas wells.

Crude oil production reported by the RRC is limited to oil produced from oil leases and does not include condensate, which is reported separately by the RRC.

For additional oil and gas production statistics, including the ranking of each Texas County by crude oil, total gas and condensate production, visit the RRC’s website at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/production-data/texas-monthly-oil-gas-production/ 

TABLE 1 - January 2023 STATEWIDE PRODUCTION* 

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas highlighted the agency’s extensive work and expertise in plugging orphaned oil and gas wells during a visit from U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in Houston last week.

When a well ceases production, the majority of operators fulfill their obligations and responsibly plug their wells to prevent leaks and protect the environment. Last year 88% of wells plugged were plugged by operators. The RRC steps in to plug wells when an operator goes out of business, and collects on the operator’s financial assurance and seeks reimbursement through legal proceedings.  

In October, Texas was the first state in the nation to begin plugging orphaned oil and gas wells using an initial grant from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The RRC has plugged more than 430 wells so far with that federal grant.

Those well pluggings supplement RRC’s annual well pluggings in the State Managed Plugging Program (SMP). No taxpayer money is used at all for the SMP; all the funding is through oil and gas industry revenue including, but not limited to multiple fees, and bonds and financial security paid by oil and gas operators.

The next inflow of federal well plugging funds will be through formula grants. RRC submitted comments on draft formula grant guidance recently issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior.  The RRC is concerned the draft requirements place administrative burdens that go beyond the scope of the legislation that authorized the well plugging funds. There’s also concern about a proposed phased approach to releasing formula funds, versus releasing the total amount at once.   

“Among all oil and gas producing states, we’re a leader in addressing orphan wells, and the Legislature has passed several measures to create incentives to reduce orphan wells in Texas,” said Wei Wang, RRC Executive Director. “We’ve built great momentum using federal funds to plug wells, and we urged Secretary Haaland to help us keep the momentum. Less than two percent of oil and gas wells in the state are orphaned, and getting the formula funds quickly will help us proceed without unnecessary interruptions.”

Clay Woodul, RRC Assistant Director of the Oil and Gas Division for Field Operations, shows Secretary Deb Haaland and members of Congress an orphaned well scheduled to be plugged in Houston.

The RRC anticipates plugging about 800 wells this fiscal year using the initial federal grant, which would be in addition to at least 1,000 well pluggings through the SMP.

The agency’s comments on the draft formula grant guidance can be found on the RRC website at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/media/4ilhvfga/iija-draft-formual-grant_rrc-texas-comments_2_24.pdf

AUSTIN – Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian issued the following statement regarding news of Saudi Arabia and other nations’ plans to cut oil production by up to 1.15 million barrels a day, starting in May through the end of the year:

“First Russia and now Saudi Arabia, President Biden’s reliance on foreign countries for oil is a doomed energy strategy making our energy more expensive and nation less secure. Mr. President, as I said in February, Texas and other states can make up these production cutbacks. Unleash U.S. oil producers and give the industry the support it needs for the sake of all Americans.”

A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren. You can  learn more about Chairman Christian here.

AUSTIN – Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian applauded passage of H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Cost Act that seeks to restore America as the world’s top producer oil and natural gas.  

Following the 225-204 vote, Commissioner Christian had this to say:

“America has the ability to be energy independent, producing our own cheap, plentiful and reliable God-given natural resources -- right here at home -- making energy affordable and the nation stronger. 

“President Biden's war on oil and gas has increased the cost of gasoline by 40% and the cost of electricity by 20%-30%. Biden and Congressional Democrats’ strategy is to run up the national debt and beg our foreign adversaries for help, leaving consumers with more expensive and less reliable energy.

“The Lower Energy Cost Act includes provisions important to Texas, such as repealing President Biden’s harmful tax on natural gas production and stopping bans on internal combustion engines and gasoline-based cars.”

Learn more about  the Lower Energy Cost Act here. 

# # #

A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren.  You can learn more about Chairman Christian here.

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $1,029,351 in fines involving 287 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses at the Commissioners’ Conference on Tuesday. The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the state’s oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety.

Twenty-two dockets involved $255,601 in penalties after operators failed to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings. Master Default Orders can be found on the RRC Hearings Division webpage.

Operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules and assessed $184,300 for any oil and gas, LP-Gas, critical infrastructure, or pipeline safety rule violations. Pipeline operators and excavators were assessed $589,450 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules. Master Agreed Orders can be found on the RRC General Counsel webpage.

In the absence of timely motions for rehearing, decisions are final as stated in these final orders.

AUSTIN –– Crude oil and natural gas production as reported to the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) for December 2022 came from 161,489 oil wells and 87,023 gas wells.

Crude oil production reported by the RRC is limited to oil produced from oil leases and does not include condensate, which is reported separately by the RRC.

For additional oil and gas production statistics, including the ranking of each Texas County by crude oil, total gas and condensate production, visit the RRC’s website at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/production-data/texas-monthly-oil-gas-production/.

TABLE 1 - December 2022 STATEWIDE PRODUCTION*

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas issued a total of 700 original drilling permits in February 2023. The total includes 620 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, 5 to re-enter plugged wellbores and 71 for re-completions of existing wellbores.

The breakdown of well types for total original drilling permits in February 2023 is: 151 oil, 44 gas, 472 oil and gas, 28 injection, two service, and three other permits.

In February 2023, Commission staff processed 567 oil, 150 gas and 246 injection completions for new drills, re-entries and re-completions.

Detailed data on drilling permits and well completions for the month can be found at this link:

https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/drilling-information/monthly-drilling-completion-and-plugging-summaries/

TABLE 1 – JANUARY 2023 TEXAS OIL AND GAS NEW DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS DISTRICT*

*A district map is available on the Railroad Commission of Texas website at https://rrc.texas.gov/media/3bkhbut0/districts_color_8x11.pdf.

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $639,143 in fines involving 204 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses at the Commissioners’ Conference on Tuesday. The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the state’s oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety.

Sixteen dockets involved $153,399 in penalties after operators failed to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings. Master Default Orders can be found on the RRC Hearings Division webpage.

Operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules and assessed $40,644 for oil and gas, LP-Gas or pipeline safety rule violations. Pipeline operators and excavators were assessed $445,100 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules. Master Agreed Orders can be found on the RRC General Counsel webpage.

In the absence of timely motions for rehearing, decisions are final as stated in these final orders.

AUSTIN – At their Feb. 28 open meeting, RRC Commissioners unanimously voted to refer two actions by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to the Texas Attorney General to challenge their validity.

In 2018 the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality submitted the state’s robust Interstate Transport State Implementation Plan (SIP) for National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone – a plan to ensure that emissions within the state would comply with the “good neighbor” provisions of the Clean Air Act and not affect air quality in other states. The EPA disapproved the plan in February 2023, but not before proposing a federal implementation plan (FIP) plan almost a full year prior to disapproving the state plan.

The RRC is concerned that the EPA was ready to ignore the state’s expertise on regional factors, and circumvented procedures in the Clean Air Action by proposing a federal plan before its final disapproval of the SIP. 

Not only that, but the proposed FIP also introduces restrictive emissions standards for stationary engines that are used in the pipeline transportation of natural gas. As the state’s oil and gas regulator, the RRC is concerned about how the proposal could hinder a vital industry that contributes significantly to the Texas economy and the state budget. 

“When the federal government oversteps in the business of Texas, it is our responsibility to push back,” said RRC Chairman Christi Craddick. “This federal administration has yet again proven that they do not value the profoundly beneficial impact of the oil and gas industry in Texas, and this vote is the first step for the Railroad Commission of Texas in fighting back against unreasonable and unjust attempts to harm this state.”

“The Biden Administration is pulling every pseudo-environmental lever they can to shut down oil and gas production – especially in Texas – where it’s cheap, plentiful, and responsibly produced,” said Commissioner Wayne Christian. “Biden’s EPA first tried it in the Permian Basin last year through non-attainment, with faulty emissions reports, to no success. Now they are trying it through an overreaching, one-size-fits-all approach with their regional haze rule. Contrary to popular belief, fossil fuel usage and a clean environment are not mutually exclusive; in fact, according to the EPA themselves major pollutants are down 78% in the last fifty years alongside increased fossil fuel consumption. I hope the Texas Attorney General will fight this onerous proposal and return the rights back to states and local officials, who know best how to take care of their own land and air.” 

“There is a disturbing trend emerging from the Biden Administration with respect to blatant federal overreach and repeated attempts to undermine the authority and sovereignty of our state,” said Commissioner Jim Wright. “Texas has a long and proud history of protecting our natural resources and our environment and is more than capable of acting in the best interest of our citizens without Washington bureaucrats looking over our shoulder.”

A copy of the Commission’s order approving referral of these actions to the Texas Attorney General can be found at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/media/nundcgus/2023_02_28_12_15_53.pdf

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas has filed comments on draft guidance issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) for utilizing formula grants to plug orphaned oil and gas wells.

Several aspects of the draft guidance have caused concern for the RRC because it could hinder the state’s efforts to use as much funding as possible for important work that protects residents and the environment.

Among the concerns is the fact that the DOI may end up changing formula funding calculations for states, which could mean Texas could get less than the approximately $318 million that was originally due to the state.

The guidance also has program requirements for states that go beyond the scope of the federal legislation that authorized the well plugging funds. These requirements are burdensome and sometimes unrealistic to implement, which will inevitably hamper the momentum of the state’s plugging efforts resulting in less wells being plugged than could be.

The comments submitted by the RRC are guided by the agency’s expertise in plugging orphaned oil and gas wells. That expertise was key to Texas’ first in the nation status utilizing federal funds to plug orphaned wells, when work began in October 2022 with the state’s $25 million initial grant.  

Adding unnecessary requirements to the next phase of federal funding, the formula grants, can hinder the state’s ability to plug as many orphaned oil and gas wells as possible.

“As Chairman of the Railroad Commission, I believe it is crucial for this agency to thoroughly assess all strings attached to federal money. When dealing with the federal government, we always read the fine print,” said RRC Chairman Christi Craddick. “The Commission is responsible for ensuring health and safety standards for all Texans while overseeing responsible stewardship of our state’s abundant natural resources. The Department of Interior’s draft guidelines are extremely concerning and our comments reflect our commitment to prioritizing Texas. Money intended for well plugging efforts should be used for just that – not bureaucratic red tape. Advancing the Biden administration’s political agenda at the expense of Texans is unacceptable, and this agency will continue to push back on all unreasonable regulations put forth by the federal government.”

“President Biden’s Interior Department needs to stop playing politics with taxpayer dollars and allow Texas and other oil and gas states to get to work plugging more wells and producing much-needed reliable energy,” said RRC Commissioner Wayne Christian. “Texas is not only the national leader in producing oil and natural gas, but is also a leader in plugging abandoned wells, protecting groundwater, and reducing flaring. Taxpayer dollars should ALWAYS be used with the utmost care—Biden’s Interior Department needs to walk back their overreaching guidance which only adds onerous regulations making abandoned well plugging more costly and less timely.”

“Taxpayer dollars – regardless of their origin – should always be used efficiently and effectively to achieve the desired result,” said RRC Commissioner Jim Wright. “Based on the draft guidance issued by the DOI, it would seem that plugging as many orphan wells as possible is low on the Department’s priority list. The words “innovation” and “federal government” rarely appear in the same sentence. Instead of handcuffing states with top-down, bureaucratic red tape and unrealistic requirements that increase plugging costs, the DOI should seek to empower states like Texas by providing them with the flexibility to achieve our shared mission of reducing the orphan well population.” 

A copy of the RRC comments sent to DOI can be found on the RRC website at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/media/4ilhvfga/iija-draft-formual-grant_rrc-texas-comments_2_24.pdf.

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas joined the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in filing comments this week on the Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed supplemental rule to regulate methane and greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas industry.

In the comments, the state expresses concerns that the proposed rule exceeds EPA’s statutory authority under the Clean Air Act and will significantly limit domestic energy supply. At a time of energy fluctuations due to international conflict, the United States cannot afford to clamp down on its most important oil and gas producing state. 

Texas also commented that the proposal also lays out unrealistic assumptions and artificially high metrics to estimate the climate benefits of the rule, whereas in practice, the rule would place an unjustifiable burden on states and the energy industry for little real benefit to the global climate.

In addition, the RRC is concerned that EPA did not provide sufficient time for affected stakeholders to review and comment on the extreme breadth of its proposal. The proposed rule was published immediately before the holiday season, on December 6, 2022, amidst several other significant regulatory proposals. Despite receiving numerous requests to extend the comment period, EPA declined to provide additional time. 

“The EPA’s overreaching methane rules and unrealistic timeline are yet another example of the Biden administration’s attempt to shut down the oil and gas industry in Texas,” said RRC Chairman Christi Craddick. “I stand with my fellow Railroad Commissioners and partners at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in opposition to this attack on the industry that provides so much to our state.”

“President Biden's EPA continues its relentless fight to shut down oil and gas. The EPA’s proposed rule on methane will make reliable energy scarcer and more expensive at a time when we desperately need more of it," said RRC Commissioner Wayne Christian. "From killing the Keystone XL pipeline project, to freezing federal leasing, to supporting ESG, to implementing onerous regulations, Biden is why energy is so expensive. An unburdened and unleashed Texas oil and gas industry is the path to energy security. We only need the administration to get out of the way! If the EPA moves forward, it's imperative that Texas and other states challenge them in the court and those rules get thrown out." 

“The EPA methane rule is yet another example of the Biden Administration saying one thing and doing another,” said RRC Commissioner Jim Wright.  “In his State of the Union remarks, President Biden placed special emphasis on the need to increase domestic manufacturing, lower utility bills, and create American jobs.  Unfortunately, the EPA’s methane rule will have the opposite effect. Not only does this rule threaten Texas energy production, it does so by disproportionately impacting small and medium producers who live and work in their community, buy supplies, hire locally, and are important contributors to their local economies.”

The joint comments submitted by the RRC and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality can be found at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/media/hhvontzl/epa-comments_021323.pdf.

AUSTIN - Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian issued the following statement regarding news of Russia's plans to cut oil production by about 5% next month, the equivalent of 500,000 barrels per day:

“As President Biden doubles down on his anti-oil and gas agenda, our enemies overseas smell blood in the water and are using their production as leverage against the West.  We have the natural resources, the technology, and the manpower to be energy independent. We just need the federal government to get out of the way.

“Mr. President — I commit to you today that if you stop your war against domestic oil and gas production, Texas can make up this 500,000-barrel difference and more. There truly is no downside! You even admitted so in your State of the Union address that we will need more oil for the foreseeable future. Let’s start here at home. We can defend our national security and our European allies, all the while increasing supply, reducing costs, creating jobs, stimulating our economy, and protecting our environment!

“As former Vice Chair and current member of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), I’m confident that Texas is not alone in the promise to increase production. I’m sure that North Dakota, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and others can easily help make up any impact on the oil market that this move by Russia may have on global prices.

 “President Biden, you can save lives by unleashing American producers. Europe is in the midst of an energy crisis with concerns whether people will freeze to death this winter. Furthermore, high energy prices hurt the poorest populations and nations the most, with 80% of the world relying on fossil fuels. Putin’s threat to drive up oil prices will do so much more than hurt the West and continue his brutal war, it will have resounding unintended consequences to the children and the poor in developing nations that struggle just to get by each day.”

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Europe is facing an unprecedented energy crisis, as critical natural gas has been cut by more than 80% multiplying electricity costs by 15 times.

A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren. You can learn more about Chairman Christian here.

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas issued a total of 840 original drilling permits in January 2023. The total includes 743 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, 6 to re-enter plugged wellbores and 80 for re-completions of existing wellbores.

The breakdown of well types for total original drilling permits in January 2023 is: 197 oil, 57 gas, 550 oil or gas, 29 injection, and seven other permits.

In January 2023, Commission staff processed 147 oil, 214 gas and 229 injection completions for new drills, re-entries and re-completions.

Detailed data on drilling permits and well completions for the month can be found at this link:

https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/drilling-information/monthly-drilling-completion-and-plugging-summaries/

TABLE 1 – JANUARY 2023 TEXAS OIL AND GAS NEW DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS DISTRICT*

*A district map is available on the Railroad Commission of Texas website at https://rrc.texas.gov/media/3bkhbut0/districts_color_8x11.pdf.

AUSTIN – Crude Crude oil and natural gas production as reported to the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) for November 2022 came from 160,768 oil wells and 70,246 gas wells.

The RRC reports that from December 2021 to November 2022, total Texas reported production was 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil and 11.2 trillion cubic feet of total gas. Crude oil production reported by the RRC is limited to oil produced from oil leases and does not include condensate, which is reported separately by the RRC.

For additional oil and gas production statistics, including the ranking of each Texas County by crude oil, total gas and condensate production, visit the RRC’s website at https://wwwrrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/production-data/

AUSTIN – For the second time this winter, the state’s natural gas supply chain was tested and performed as needed to keep heating and lights on for millions and millions of Texans.

Winter Storm Mara swept through Midland, the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and into San Antonio, covering several gas production basins in the state. The key elements of gas supply – production, pipeline transportation and underground storage – all performed up to par during the arctic blast.

Texas’ daily onshore gas production, for example, averaged more than 25 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per day from January 31 to February 2. As shown in the chart below, that exceeded the daily average seen during Winter Storm Elliott in late December, and the daily production gas production of all last winter.

The state’s underground storage facilities had an estimated 392.4 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas as of January 2023. In addition, pipeline operators packed the pipeline system with natural gas ahead of the storm.

All told, there was more than enough gas to meet the demand during Mara. According to data from S&P Global natural gas demand for residential and commercial heating peaked at 4.23 Bcf and demand for electricity generation peaked at an estimated 6.46 Bcf for power generation, both on January 31.

The RRC does not regulate the price of natural gas, but it should be noted that there were no unusual spikes in prices with the cash basis market price averaging below $3 per MMBtu at the Waha trading hub in West Texas during Mara. Market data suggests that price actually declined by $0.60 per MMBtu on February 1 indicating strong supply in the region.

The Commission has been committed to ensuring the delivery of natural gas to protect Texans this winter, and we will continue that work to ensure peace of mind for residents.

AUSTIN – The state's natural gas supply continues to hold steady to help provide heating to homes and fuel for electricity generation during the ongoing winter storm.

The RRC is keeping up its round-the-clock contact with operators and other state agencies during Winter Storm Mara. Natural gas utilities are reporting no service issues providing home heating; several have pre-deployed trucks with compressed and liquid natural gas as backups for residential heating but have not needed to utilize them yet.

Oil and gas operators along the natural gas supply chain, from production to pipelines to underground storage, are maintaining stable operations, and there is adequate natural gas supply in the state.

The RRC’s Emergency Management Team continues to work with operators and other state agencies to handle requests for assistance given the severe icy conditions gripping different parts of Texas.

Icy roads are contributing to yet another day of dangerous driving conditions in Texas this week. The RRC urges operators and residents to heed warnings from state and local emergency officials and stay safe. We will continue our work to ensure Texas gets through this week’s winter storm.

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas’ preparations for Winter Storm Mara began well ahead of time as we began tracking the approaching weather last week; activated the RRC Emergency Management Team on Sunday; and also issued a notice to operators on Sunday on the incoming impact to the state.   

The agency has been meeting daily for the last three days with gas utilities that serve residences, and held conference calls this morning with those utilities as well as the state’s major oil and gas producers and pipeline operators.

All facets of the gas supply chain - production, pipeline transportation and underground gas storage - are reporting no major issues. Preliminary estimates from S&P Global indicate daily production of 25 billion cubic feet.  Gas supply remains steady throughout the supply chain.

The RRC is committed to helping ensure there is adequate gas supply for home heating and power generation to protect millions of Texans during the winter storm.

We are also working at the State Operations Center, side by side with agencies such as the Public Utility Commission, ERCOT and the Texas Department of Transportation to address any requests for assistance oil and gas operators have.

Operators are dealing with icy road conditions in several parts of the state that could affect movement of crews and equipment, and the RRC is working directly with state and local partners to address those issues. We want to remind operators and all Texans to be mindful of road conditions and stay safe.

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $630,917 in fines involving 161 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses at the Commissioners’ Conference on Wednesday. The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the state’s oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety.

Nine dockets involved $73,667 in penalties after operators failed to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings. Master Default Orders can be found on the RRC Hearings Division webpage.

Operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules and assessed $44,600 for oil and gas, LP-Gas or pipeline safety rule violations. Pipeline operators and excavators were assessed $512,650 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules. Master Agreed Orders can be found on the RRC General Counsel webpage.

In the absence of timely motions for rehearing, decisions are final as stated in these final orders.

The RRC’s commitment to ensure the resilience of natural gas infrastructure during cold weather was tested last month during Winter Storm Elliott with sub-freezing temperatures that lasted several days during the Christmas weekend. The numbers are in and show that there was ample natural gas supply to help the state’s electricity supply chain and keep Texans safe.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration analysis below shows the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) energy mixes for electricity generation in the state for the past year. As the chart reflects, natural gas fired electric generation reached the highest peak for the entirety of 2022 on December 23 during Winter Storm Elliott, surpassing that of the peak days last summer.

Furthermore, data from S&P Global Platt shows the daily average of Texas onshore natural gas production during Elliott was 24.89 Billion cubic feet (Bcf) which was even more than the daily average from the prior winter.  

Data source: S&P Global Platts

The RRC will continue its diligent work to inspect natural gas facilities supporting the electricity supply chain throughout this winter and ensure infrastructure is hardened against extreme weather conditions.  Just as what was done during Elliott, staff will work around the clock to help ensure Texans’ safety in any upcoming cold weather.

AUSTIN – Crude oil and natural gas production as reported to the Railroad Commission of Texas for October 2022 came from 161,356 oil wells and 80,281 gas wells.

The RRC reports that from November 2021 to October 2022, total Texas reported production was 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil and 11.2 trillion cubic feet of total gas. Crude oil production reported by the RRC is limited to oil produced from oil leases and does not include condensate, which is reported separately by the RRC.

For additional oil and gas production statistics, including the ranking of each Texas County by crude oil, total gas and condensate production, visit the RRC’s website at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/production-data/texas-monthly-oil-gas-production/.

AUSTIN – The Railroad Commission of Texas issued a total of 869 original drilling permits in December 2022 compared to 842 in December 2021. The December 2022 total includes 797 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, four to re-enter plugged wellbores and 45 for re-completions of existing wellbores.

The breakdown of well types for original drilling permits in December 2022 is 161 oil, 71 gas, 598 oil or gas, 27 injection and 12 other permits.

In December 2022, Commission staff processed 815 oil, 167 gas and 231 injection completions for new drills, re-entries and re-completions, compared to 605 oil, 99 gas and 211 injection completions in December 2021.

Total well completions processed for 2022 for new drills, re-entries and re-completions are 13,415 compared to 9,269 recorded in 2021.

Detailed data on drilling permits and well completions for the month can be found at this link:

https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/research-and-statistics/drilling-information/monthly-drilling-completion-and-plugging-summaries/

TABLE 1 – DECEMBER 2022 TEXAS OIL AND GAS NEW DRILLING PERMITS AND COMPLETIONS BY RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS DISTRICT*

*A district map is available on the Railroad Commission of Texas website at https://rrc.texas.gov/media/3bkhbut0/districts_color_8x11.pdf.

AUSTIN – In yet another move to improve transparency, the Railroad Commission has launched an interactive map of ongoing orphan well plugging with the use of federal infrastructure funding.

The data visualization allows users to choose what they see on the map, including which county to view, the fiscal year, and whether the wells have been plugged or have had a work order issued to be plugged.

The RRC received a $25 million initial grant to plug abandoned oil and gas wells from the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2022. Texas was the first state in the country to start plugging abandoned oil and gas wells using federal funds with projects in Refugio County in October (video).

The funds are part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which dedicated the funds to plug abandoned oil and gas wells.

So far, the agency, which has the critical mission of protecting public safety and environment, has already plugged 128 orphaned wells with the federal funding and plans to plug about 800 abandoned wells by the end of the fiscal year.

“Thanks to our well-established well plugging program, we were able to hit the ground running to start plugging wells with the federal funds,” said Clay Woodul, RRC Assistant Director of the Oil and Gas Division for Field Operations. “The data visualization allows anybody with access to the Internet to see our progress plugging wells the federal funds.”

RRC’s State Managed Plugging Program, which utilizes revenue from industry fees and fines, has exceeded performance measures set by the Texas Legislature for six consecutive fiscal years.

The RRC may receive up to $318 million in additional formula funding from the federal government to plug orphaned wells. More information and links can be found via the following webpage: https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/environmental-cleanup-programs/federally-funded-well-plugging/.