Texas Pipeline Damage Prevention Statistics
Pipeline Safety ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pipeline Mileage Fee Courtesy Notice
October 23, 2025
This courtesy notice from the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is provided to help pipeline operators prepare for the 2026 pipeline mileage fee that is due April 1, 2026. For information about this fee, please reference Texas Natural Resource Code §81.071 and 16 Texas Administrative Code §3.70. Information regarding pipeline fees is also available on the RRC website at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/pipeline-safety/pipeline-fees/.
The annual pipeline mileage fee is calculated using pipeline permit mapping information supplied by the operators. The pipelines in each permit are divided into Group A and Group B, and the mileage is rounded up to the nearest mile. The sum is used to calculate the annual mileage fee.
The number of miles permitted as of December 31, 2025, will be used to calculate the 2026 pipeline mileage fee. Payment must be submitted through the Pipeline Online Permitting System (POPS) beginning January 1, 2026. The deadline for payment without incurring late penalties is April 1, 2026. The POPS User Guide is available on the webpage linked above under the Helpful Links section.
Operators may also visit the webpage linked above to review the preliminary mileage chart showing their permits for which a fee is owed. The chart is titled Mileage Chart - 2026 Prelim under the Helpful Links section.
If an operator believes there are errors on the mileage chart, they should submit permit amendments as soon as possible to the RRC to ensure the mileage used to calculate the fee is accurate. Only applications submitted by December 1, 2025, are guaranteed to be reviewed before the mileage fees are assessed and the final chart is added to the RRC website on December 31, 2025.
Please note that this notice and all future notices will be emailed to pipeline operators using the email addresses on file in POPS. To ensure receipt of important communications from the RRC, pipeline operators must maintain current email addresses in POPS for the Compliance Representative, Filing Representative, and Mapping Representative.
If there are any questions, please contact us at POPS@rrc.texas.gov or (512) 463-6802.
Overview
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What we do
The Oversight and Safety Division has responsibility for Alternative Fuels, Gas Services and Pipeline Safety. This reorganization in January 2015 will bring even greater efficiency and consistency to these operations within the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), allowing the agency to better serve the state.
Texas has the largest pipeline infrastructure in the nation, representing about 1/6 of the total pipeline mileage of the entire United States. Texas’ pipelines are divided into the categories of natural gas and LP-gas distribution lines, hazardous liquid and natural gas transmission lines, hazardous liquid and natural gas regulated gathering lines, intrastate production and gathering lines leaving a lease, and interstate lines. The RRC has safety responsibility over the first four categories.
Pipelines that cross between states are considered Interstate and would be under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The PHMSA southwest regional office located in Houston covers Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The Pipeline Safety department works to enforce compliance with federal and state laws and regulations by pipeline operators. These regulatory responsibilities extend to operators of intrastate gathering, transmission, distribution, and master-metered systems. The RRC continues to lead the nation in adopting and enforcing safety rules to enhance the integrity of pipelines throughout the state.
Pipeline Safety rules administered by the RRC are adopted in the Texas Administrative Code, containing State specific requirements and incorporates by reference the minimum Federal safety standards for transportation of gas and hazardous liquids by pipeline and liquefied natural gas facilities.
The RRC also promotes and enforces an underground pipeline damage prevention program for Texas. The Pipeline Safety department is responsible for the enforcement of damage prevention regulations involving the movement of earth (excavation) surrounding pipeline facilities.
The goal of the Pipeline Safety department is to encourage an efficient, economical, and safe pipeline industry; to that end, we oversee pipeline activities to ensure compliance with state and federal safety regulations and promote public safety and awareness.
Commissioners
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Jim Wright
Chairman -
Christi Craddick
Commissioner -
Wayne Christian
Commissioner
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