Holiday Office Closure

In observance of the Christmas holidays, Railroad Commission of Texas offices will be closed December 23-27. The offices will re-open at 8 a.m. on Monday, December 30 for regular business. Expedited Drilling Permits will be processed within standard processing times. If assistance is needed, please email Drillingpermits-info@rrc.texas.gov.
RRC maintains a 24-hour emergency phone line to report any leaks or spills. That number is 844-773-0305

USA Flag

This website will be undergoing maintenance today, please be patient as some pages may be slower to load.

Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton Talks Opportunity in the Permian Basin

May 11, 2017

HOUSTON – Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton today spoke with students, operators and technology experts who gathered for the 2017 Technology Forum hosted by the Texas Oil & Gas Institute. The Institute — a non-profit formed by University of Texas and Texas A&M University — is focused on improving the value of university lands through education, engineering and research. 

The Technology Forum encouraged technical discussions on increasing production and growing reserves as well as best practices and lessons learned. During his keynote address, Commissioner Sitton discussed the Permian Basin’s remarkable opportunity and tremendous level of investment. 

“Right now, 40 percent of all U.S. rigs are located in the Permian Basin,” Sitton said.

“At a time when we’re seeing oil prices begin to rise, Texas production reaching record highs and historic new investments in the Permian, TOGI collaborators are going to play an important role in that basin.” 

Ryan Sitton was elected to the Railroad Commission in 2014 and is the first engineer to serve on the Commission in 50 years. Sitton is one of the world’s leading energy experts and founded PinnacleART, an engineering and technology company focused on reliability and integrity programs for the oil, gas, and petrochemical, mining, pharmaceutical, and wastewater industries. As Railroad Commissioner, Sitton uses his technical expertise and business experience to make decisions for the state that are based on sound science and employs a fiscally conservative approach to prioritize the agency’s efforts.

About the Railroad Commission:
Our mission is to serve Texas by our stewardship of natural resources and the environment, our concern for personal and community safety, and our support of enhanced development and economic vitality for the benefit of Texans. The Commission has a long and proud history of service to both Texas and to the nation, including more than 100 years regulating the oil and gas industry. The Commission also has jurisdiction over alternative fuels safety, natural gas utilities, surface mining and intrastate pipelines. Established in 1891, the Railroad Commission of Texas is the oldest regulatory agency in the state. To learn more, please visit https://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/.